Last night, the Real Circle of Friendship hosted a conference titled “The Mosque-Cathedral in the event of an earthquake: A theoretical case”, presenting the studies carried out by the Department of Building Structures and Geotechnical Engineering of the Higher Technical School of Architecture (ETSA) at the University of Seville. These studies have thoroughly analyzed the reactions that the monument would have in the event of a hypothetical earthquake.

The event began with a welcome from the Dean-President of the Cathedral Chapter, Joaquín Alberto Nieva, who thanked the large group of attendees for their presence. He also informed that this study is part of various protection and prevention protocols established by the institution, which are continuously being updated and improved. Among these protocols are the self-protection plan, the asset safeguarding plan, and the fire prevention plan — all unknown to the public but very useful for the management of the monument.

Gabriel Rebollo, the building’s conservation architect, acknowledged that this study covers an area that had not been scientifically addressed before, making this research “extremely useful and important” for the work being carried out.

Next, members of the ETSA research team, specifically María Victoria Requena and Antonio Morales, spoke about the study, highlighting that it is pioneering because it uses cutting-edge technology to create numerical finite element models that allow analysis of various hypothetical earthquake scenarios. According to Professor Antonio Morales, the key to the monument’s resistance to earthquakes lies in its own structure — arranged in naves formed by arcades on columns, which provide flexibility against any movement. Furthermore, simulations have shown that in the most common scenarios, the Mosque-Cathedral would only suffer minor damage to the north façade of the Patio de los Naranjos, while the rest of the structure would withstand the earthquake without further problems.

Access to the complete press note here.