Spain closes Alhambra Palace after earthquake causes minor damage to historic site

Dubai: Spanish authorities temporarily closed Granada’s historic Alhambra Palace as a precaution after a 4.8-magnitude earthquake caused minor damage to the UNESCO World Heritage site and injured three people.

The earthquake struck at 10.38am on Tuesday. local time, with its epicentre in the town of Alhendín, about 10km south of Granada in southern Spain, according to Spain’s National Geographic Institute.

Andalusia’s Emergency Minister Antonio Sanz said an initial assessment found no significant structural damage to the Alhambra and no risk of collapse.

Minor damage was detected in limited areas and involved non-structural elements, including upper fortifications, plasterwork and decorative features, he said.

Authorities closed the palace complex as a precaution while inspections were carried out to assess the extent of the damage and ensure the safety of visitors. The earthquake also caused cracks and falling debris elsewhere in the area, with three people reported injured.

The eighth-century-old site, Alhambra is one of Spain’s most visited historic attractions, is regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of medieval Islamic architecture. The Alhambra, a palace and fortress complex, is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and the only well-preserved palace from the medieval Islamic world.

The palace and fortress complex, which is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, received about 2.7 million visitors last year.