Bones of medieval kings saved from Spanish wildfire
Firefighters raced to save a 1,000-year-old monastery in northeastern Spain on Friday as a growing wildfire prompted the hasty removal of the bones of medieval monarchs buried there.
A 1,000-year-old monastery in northeastern Spain, San Juan de la Peña, was saved from a wildfire on Friday as firefighters swiftly removed priceless medieval artifacts, including the remains of Aragon's first kings. The blaze erupted earlier this week and approached the site, a UNESCO World Heritage monument, situated in rugged mountains.
The oldest monastery, with ties to the Holy Grail, houses royal remains and art since the 10th century. UME chief Javier Marcos reported they managed to rescue historically significant items, but the fire's development remains uncertain. The heritage site, close to a major pilgrimage route, receives around 100,000 visitors annually.
Regional authorities evacuated over 850 people from affected villages, and more than 10,000 hectares were impacted. Extreme heat and continued firefighting efforts posed challenges for the blaze, which has ravaged over 283,000 hectares of Spanish land this year.
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