Cordoba cathedral fire: Huge blaze breaks out at major tourist attraction in Spain

A fire broke out at the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdobaon Friday night, and fire crews rushed in to extinguish it. The UNESCO-listed World Heritage site, which dates back to the 8th century, forms part of southern Spain's unique combination of Christian-Moorish architecture.

Known locally as the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, the stunning historic building was originally constructed when Muslim rulers controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula, which includes modern-day Spain and Portugal. Work on the Mosque as a Great Mosque began in 785 AD. After the Christian conquering of Spain, known as the Reconquista, the magnificent place of worship was converted to a cathedral in 1236. Despite changing religions, many of the features left by the previous Muslim stonemasons remain.

Today, the monument attracts millions of tourists every year.

According to Spanish media, a blaze took hold in the Mezquita in the Andalusian city of Cordoba around 9.15pm local time tonight (Friday) after the malfunctioning battery of an automatic cleaning machine caught fire.

It's understood that three fire crews have attended the scene and a perimeter has been established around the site.

According to ABC News in Spain, the Mezquita is protected by a fire-dampening system in the roof and within the decking around the building. It's reported that there are 24 water outlets inside the structure, allowing fire crews to access a flow from almost anywhere on the site.

The last fire at the Mezquita was recorded on July 6, 2007, when flames consumed around 25 boxes of books and documents dating back to the 19th century.