“Tonight, a fire broke out in a chapel of the Mosque-Cathedral, in the Almanzor area. Immediately, the protocol established in the self-protection plan was activated,” published the official account of the Mosque-Cathedral in the evening shortly after 10:00 p.m. without further information.
Videos broadcast on social networks showed orange flames and smoke escaping from the high walls of the monument, especially above the San José door (on the south side of the mosque) which gives access to the interior from the street, and to the famous orange patio.
A “sweeper” machine would be the cause of the fire
According to several Spanish media, a “sweeper” machine is behind the fire when she caught fire around 9:00 p.m. locals (7:00 p.m. GMT).
Contacted several times by AFP, the town hall and the Cordoba police were not reachable on Friday evening.
The Cordoba mosque-cathedral is an architectural jewel, notably famous for its marble column forest, and built by omeyyad emirs and caliphs between the 8th and 10th centuries.
Its construction began in the 8th century under the emirate of Abderramán (Abd al-Rahman) I on the site of a Christian basilica, then it was enlarged in several phases during the following four centuries. The expansion of Almanzor (Al Mansur) dates from the end of the 10th century.
After the Christian reconquest in 1236, it was consecrated cathedral and Catholic elements were added, including a large central chapel in the 16th century.
In 2001, a small fire had already damaged the monument and in particular twenty-five old documents in the archives of the Cathedral Councils.
The building welcomed more than 2 million visitors in 2024 according to its website.
