Moderate fire-related damage to the iconic Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
Fire at the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba Contained
The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a masterpiece of Islamic architecture, suffered a fire on August 8, 2025. The fire broke out in the Chapel of the Annunciation, located in the Almanzor nave, and caused localized but significant damage.
The fire was quickly contained and extinguished by three specialized firefighter teams, preventing what could have been a potential catastrophe. The estimated damage was limited to about 50 to 60 square meters of the interior, with the rest of the building spared. The mosque-cathedral reopened to the public the very next morning with the fire-damaged section cordoned off.
The initial belief about the cause of the fire was a short circuit in a cleaning machine parked inside the building. The Cathedral of Cordoba, a significant building in Spain, was originally built in the 8th century during the Umayyad period on top of an earlier Visigoth church. After the Christian Reconquista in the 13th century, it was converted into a cathedral with architectural alterations spanning Renaissance and Baroque periods.
In the 16th century, a Renaissance nave was built in the middle of the Islamic prayer room of the Cathedral of Cordoba. The building is renowned for its Islamic architecture in Al-Andalus, characterized by endless rows of red-and-white horseshoe arches.
The fire protection plan for the Mosque-Cathedral was revised following the devastating fire at Notre-Dame in Paris in 2019. Regular fire drills are held in the cathedral to ensure the plan is effective. Several fire trucks were able to arrive at the scene in a very short time, demonstrating the effectiveness of the revised plan.
The mayor of Cordoba, Jose Maria Bellido, stated that the fire did not cause irreparable damage. The "Diario Cordoba" newspaper reported the mayor's statement, while "El Pais" reported statements from the building's administration about the mosque-cathedral being accessible to the public again on Saturday morning.
The event raised fears reminiscent of the 2019 Notre-Dame fire but did not result in comparable devastation. The Cathedral of Cordoba, supported by over 850 columns, undergoes periodic revitalization to maintain its historical integrity. Investigations into the precise cause of the fire continue.
While the fire at the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba was contained swiftly, investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the blaze. Meanwhile, the local sports scene reported a series of accidents during a recent football match, highlighting the need for enhanced safety measures in general-news and crime-and-justice sectors.
