A fire has broken out at one of Spain's most famous churches.
Emergency services are at the scene at the Mezquita de Córdoba in the Andalusian city of Cordoba.
Police sources report that the fire started in the Patio de los Naranjos (Orange Tree Courtyard).
**ARE YOU READING THIS ON OUR APP? DOWNLOAD NOW FOR THE BEST GB NEWS EXPERIENCE**
Sources told local media the fire was caused by a short circuit in a sweeper, a machine used for cleaning, in the Almanzor Chapel.
A fire has broken out in the Spanish city
|TIKTOK
Several residents have posted videos showing the flames emerging from this World Heritage site and pillar of Christian and Islamic art.
In addition to firefighters, members of the National Police have immediately deployed to cordon off the area and assist in extinguishing the fire.
All access to the Cathedral has been cut off while fire crews tackle the blaze.
Although the fire is considered almost extinguished, firefighters continue to cool the area to prevent it from spreading.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The cathedral was initially constructed as a mosque in the eighth century. It was then converted into a cathedral during the Reconquista in the 13th century.
Work on the construction of a cathedral within the walls of its centre began in the 16th Century.
Spanish Muslims have lobbied the Catholic Church to allow them to pray in the complex since the 2000s, with the Islamic Council of Spain lodging a formal request with the Vatican.
However, senior Spanish Christian figures have long declined the request.
More From GB News