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Late on Friday night, the historic Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba—one of Spain’s most iconic landmarks—was partially engulfed in flames, sparking fears of a disaster reminiscent of the 2019 Notre Dame fire in Paris. Thanks to the swift intervention of firefighters, the blaze was brought under control within 90 minutes, preserving the vast majority of the 1,000-year-old monument.
How the Fire Started at Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
Preliminary reports indicate that the alarm was raised at approximately 9:15 p.m., when smoke was seen emerging from Chapel No. 37, a small room used to store cleaning equipment, including electric sweepers. Investigators believe a short circuit in one of these devices may have triggered the fire, though inquiries are ongoing.
The flames quickly spread to the neighbouring Chapel of the Annunciation, which sustained the most severe structural damage. Its wooden roof collapsed after being weakened by the blaze and further burdened by the large volumes of water used to halt the fire’s advance. 
Mayor José María Bellido explained that the top priority was preventing the fire from reaching adjacent chapels. “The beams were wooden and lost their strength, and the weight of the water contributed to the collapse,” he said. “The challenge was to stop it from spreading to other nearby chapels.”
Although the flames never reached the Chapel of San Nicolás de Bari—considered one of the most valuable for its artistic and historical significance—smoke damage was reported there. Other sections of the Mosque-Cathedral also display minor traces of the incident, which forensic police are now documenting.
The Response That Saved a Monument
A team of 35 firefighters worked to contain the blaze, contending not only with the flames but also with intense summer heat and the flammable nature of the historic building materials. Mayor Bellido praised their courage, noting they had “risked their lives to save the mosque.”
Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, publicly commended the firefighters and local authorities for their swift action. On the social media platform X, she expressed her gratitude for their efforts, which “allowed the fire to be brought under control in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba.” She also pledged UNESCO’s support for the monument’s preservation and restoration.
The Mosque-Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984 and attracts millions of visitors each year.
Reopening Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba to Visitors
Remarkably, the Mosque-Cathedral reopened to the public on Saturday morning. Visitors can once again tour the main complex and climb the bell tower, though the damaged area remains closed off.
According to Dean Joaquín Alberto Nieva, the fire caused no structural damage to the building as a whole, affecting only around 50 square metres—about 2% of its 13,000-square-metre footprint. “Yesterday, we avoided a catastrophe that could have meant losing the entire Mosque-Cathedral,” Nieva said.
Authorities have assured the public that the site remains safe for both tourism and worship.
The Road to Restoration of Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
While full damage assessments are still underway, Spanish authorities have already activated the National Plan for Risk and Emergency Management in Cultural Heritage. The Andalusian regional government and the Córdoba City Council have pledged close coordination with the Ministry of Culture.
Restoration experts caution that repairing fire damage in historic monuments is a complex process. Javier Leache, president of the Spanish Association of Historical Heritage Restoration Companies, told RTVE that the next steps will involve securing and carefully dismantling damaged elements to avoid further harm.
Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, a Monument of Global Significance
The Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba stands as a powerful symbol of the city’s layered history. Built on the remains of a Visigothic church, it served as a mosque for centuries before its conversion into a Catholic cathedral in the 13th century. Its distinctive blend of Islamic and Christian architectural features, including iconic horseshoe arches and elaborately decorated chapels, has made it a cultural treasure of global importance.
The recent blaze marks only the third fire in the monument’s long history, following incidents in 1910 and 2001. The damage occurred in the section added during the final expansion by Muslim ruler Almanzor between 976 and 1002—a part considered less significant in terms of heritage value.
Nevertheless, the event serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of even the most enduring monuments. As Córdoba embarks on the restoration process, city leaders hope this incident will be remembered as a narrow escape rather than a turning point.
As Mayor Bellido concluded: “We were lucky, but luck alone does not preserve history. We must act now to protect it for the future.”
Information Source:
Photo Attribution:
“Interior de la Mezquita de Córdoba” by marctasman, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 (CC BY-SA 2.0), available on Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons.
“Altar mayor y presbiterio de la Mezquita-catedral de Córdoba” by Tiberioclaudio99, own work, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0), available on Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons.
