The study, titled “Project for Earthquake-Resilient Heritage”, focuses on both the Mosque-Cathedral and the Giralda of Seville. It is funded by the European Union and was presented at the Real Círculo de la Amistad by its authors.

Joaquín Alberto Nieva, Dean-President of the Cathedral Chapter, explained that this report is part of several protection protocols for the temple, such as the self-protection plan, asset safeguarding plan, and fire prevention plan, which—although little known to the public—are operational and continually updated with the latest technologies alongside authorities and top experts.

Presentation of the Study on the Impact of Earthquakes on the Mosque-Cathedral — La Voz

Scientific and Practical Importance

Gabriel Rebollo, one of the conservation architects, highlighted the scientific novelty and great usefulness of this study, which covers a topic that had not previously been addressed scientifically despite the monument’s 1,200+ years of history and exposure to many earthquakes.

The study is pioneering and expected to be very useful for many monuments in Spain and abroad due to its use of cutting-edge technology.

María Victoria Requena, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Design at the University of Cádiz, explained the core of the work: the creation of finite element numerical models. These 3D models replicate the Mosque-Cathedral, built by Abderramán I, and simulate its responses to different seismic scenarios.

The Importance of the Structure

Professor Antonio Morales, from ETSA Seville, noted that Spain has one of the largest earthquake databases in the world. Two historic earthquakes left their mark on the Mosque-Cathedral:

• The Carmona earthquake of 1504, with an epicenter 82 km from Córdoba

• The Lisbon earthquake of 1755, more powerful but over 500 km away, causing damage mainly to elevated structures like the transept naves

The key to the monument’s seismic resistance lies in its structure: rows of arcades over columns forming naves provide flexibility against movement.

Simulations show that in the most common earthquake scenarios, the Mosque-Cathedral would suffer only moderate damage to the north façade facing the Patio de los Naranjos and the western wall, while the rest of the building would withstand the tremor well.

Access to the complete article here.