Egyptian Temple of Debod in Madrid. Madrid - royal palace, cathedral, temple of debod Temple of debod in madrid
Debod Temple is an authentic ancient Egyptian temple. It is very unexpected to see him in Madrid next to the observation deck. The Egyptian authorities presented Debod to Spain in gratitude for saving the temples of Abu Simbel from flooding during the construction of the Aswan Dam.
From Plaza de España to the hill of Prince Pio (La montaña del Príncipe Pío) - a few minutes on foot. Now this is the Western Park, cozy and beautiful, and 200 years ago bloody events unfolded here: the execution of the rebels in 1808, which Goya depicted in his famous painting, took place here.
But the main object that attracts tourists here is the Egyptian Temple of Debod (Templo de Debod), created in the 4th century BC. The guides talk about how the Egyptian authorities, in gratitude to the Spanish engineers who built the Aswan Dam, donated this temple to Madrid. The stand at the entrance informs that the temple is dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis, and it was indeed donated to the Spanish government in 1968 as a token of gratitude for saving the temples of Abu Simbel, which could go under water during the construction of the dam.
Debod was carefully dismantled and taken by ship to Spain. Then it was collected in the Western Park of Madrid. The church was opened to the public in 1972.
From the hill of Prince Pio, there is a magnificent view of the Royal Palace and the pine forest of Casa de Campa, as well as the elite residential area. In the distance, a fountain is seen beating up, reminiscent of Geneva. The park is a huge park area, containing nothing particularly interesting. In summer, it burns out and only two green oases remain - this is the Madrid Zoo and an amusement park. In the park itself, unless you go to one of these two oases, there is absolutely nothing to do.
Debod opening hours
Tue-Sun: 10:00 - 20:00;
Mon day off.
But if you want to walk only on the platform, then the entrance is free during the opening hours of the temple.
How to get to Debod Temple
Take the metro to Plaza de España (line 3 and 10) and Ventura Rodríguez (line 3).
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Not many people know that in Madrid you can see the remains of an ancient Egyptian temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. And, interestingly, - right in the center of the city, and not somewhere on the outskirts.
The Temple of Debod is perhaps the most unusual attraction in Madrid, which you would never expect to see here. It was donated to the Spanish capital by the Egyptian authorities in 1968 and transported to a new location literally brick by brick. The Spaniards deserved such an ancient present (the temple was built in the 4th century BC) by helping the Egyptians save two famous ancient Egyptian temples located in Nubia from flooding during the construction of the Aswan Dam.
This unusual monument of antiquity is very interesting. However, when you go looking for the Temple of Debod, you should not expect that you are about to see a monumental and majestic structure. The temple and what is left of it is a small island of ancient Egyptian culture, an ancient and rather tiny miracle that harmoniously fits into the park area of modern populous Madrid. But it's definitely worth visiting.
From what pleasantly surprises - free admission. From what surprises even more - the staff who monitor the order and movement of tourists inside this historical monument. The fact is that inside the temple there are very narrow corridors, and the stairs to the second floor are designed only for ascent or descent, which is why queues are formed. To avoid crowds, caretakers are on duty in the building. At the entrance to the temple, I was advised to take a backpack in my hands or put it on in front: so as not to disturb people and not say goodbye to my wallet.
Due to the small size of the temple and for security reasons (nevertheless, the building is not just years old, but centuries old), no more than 60 people can be inside at the same time. What will the average tourist find there? Of the interesting - Egyptian drawings on the walls in the Chapel of the Reliefs and the layout of the Templo de Debod.
Not without the latest technology. Where do without them.
And the temple itself is essentially one big attraction. Next to this tourist site is a park where you can rest on a bench after jogging around Madrid, and an observation deck with a wonderful view of Madrid. The beauty! And, they say, there are beautiful sunsets.
How to get there?
The Temple of Debod is located in one of the most beautiful places in Madrid: near the Oeste Park. In addition, there are several busy shopping streets nearby, such as Gran Vía and Princessa, as well as the famous Plaza de España.
Metro . Stations Plaza de España (lines 3 and 10) and Ventura Rodriguez (line 3).
By bus. No. 74 (stop on Ferraz Street, opposite the temple, and on Pintor Rosales Street), Nos. 25, 39, 46, 75, 138 y C1 (stop Cuesta de San Vicente-Cadarso), Nos. 3, 44, 133, 148 y C2 (stop Plaza de España), nos. 1, 2, 74 (stop Princesa-Ventura Rodriguez).
By trainRENFE. Principe Pio station.
By tourist bus . Route number 1, stop number 10.
ON A NOTE! Bicycle parking is located on Ferraz Street, near the main entrance to the temple. The nearest public car park is in Plaza de España.
Debod Temple opening hours
From October 1to March 31 co Tuesday on Friday from 9:45 to 13:45 and 16:15 to 18:15. By Saturdays, Sundays and in holidays from 9:30 to 20:00.
Happy April, 1to September 30 co Tuesday on Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00. By Saturdays, Sundays and in holidays from 9:30 to 20:00.
IMPORTANT! Last visitor entry 15 minutes before closing.
The temple is closed every Monday and on the following holidays: January 1 and 6, May 1, December 25.
Entrance to Debod Temple free.
Traveling around Madrid you will find many museums and historical monuments. The capital of Spain is one of the most beloved tourist destinations in the country, captivating travelers with its architecture, history and sights. Among the most unusual of these is the ancient Egyptian temple of Debod, or Templo de Debod in Spanish. You are probably interested in the question of how such a structure could appear in a European capital? You will find the answer to this question below.
The ancient Egyptian temple appeared in Madrid relatively recently - it was transported from Egypt and carefully restored in a new place. Debod was originally created in southern Egypt in 2000 BC. The complex with a total area of approximately 15 kilometers was built in the southern parts of the Aswan region, next to the famous Nile River. It had a religious purpose and was dedicated to the goddess Isis. 
The Egyptian temple of Debod is a gift for the king of Spain from Egypt, who played an important role in the preservation of the temple of Abu Simbel. Debod moved from Egypt to Madrid in the 1960s and 1970s when the Aswan Dam was being built. It has been open to the public since 1972 and many were surprised that Madrid was able to embrace the cultural heritage of Egypt.
In the 1960s, due to the construction of the Aswan Dam and the consistent threat to numerous monuments and archaeological sites, UNESCO decided to take measures to preserve the rich historical heritage. As a token of gratitude for Spain's participation in the preservation of the temples of Abu Simbel, the Egyptian government donated the Temple of Debod to Spain in 1968. 
The temple was restored in the Madrid Park near the Royal Palace and opened to the public in 1972. This is one of the few works of ancient Egyptian architecture that is outside of Egypt, and the only one in Spain. Debod is definitely on the list of places to visit in Madrid. 
The temple remains a unique landmark in Madrid and carefully preserves a number of relics from ancient Egypt. Visitors can admire this historical monument by visiting the museum, where they will be told in detail about the history of the structure. The garden surrounding the monument offers beautiful city views of Madrid, and in the evening you can enjoy the sunset in a romantic setting. 
History of the Temple of Debod
The Temple of Debod, according to the public, is a structure that is difficult to combine with the architectural buildings of Madrid. Egypt donated the Temple of Debod to Spain, for the assistance of the Spanish government in saving the Nubian temples in Egypt. The temple is surrounded by water on all sides. This replicates the location of the temple when it was originally in Egypt. The Temple of Debod is about 2200 years old. Such an unusual religious building was dedicated to the Egyptian gods Amon and Isis.
One of the first builders of the Temple of Debod in antiquity was Adijalamani, the ruler of the state of Meroe, which was located on the territory of the modern state of Sudan, and controlled the Nile River valley. The temple has undergone quite a few changes. Each pharaoh added new premises to it, until it began to acquire a modern look, and the cult of Amun began to be replaced by Isis.
The modern monument of Madrid consists of several small rooms. The main attraction of the Temple of Debod is the chapel, with a relief image preserved in its original form. This room is the most mysterious in the temple, and is the most ancient part of it. Being here, you feel some kind of magical ritual.
Temple of Debod in Madrid - today
In Madrid, not far from the Royal Palace, there is a treasure that amazes the imagination with all its appearance. This is the ancient Temple of Debod with its incredible history. The Temple of Debod was brought to Madrid almost brick by brick and restored to its original form in a cosmopolitan city in the Spanish capital itself.
The temple was located in Egypt on the banks of the Nile. When the Aswan dams began to be built, there was a danger of the destruction of the temple. Because of this event, UNESCO called on members of the international community to save the historical monument. One of these temples was given to Spain for saving the Abu Simbel complex.
The Madrid Monument was opened to the public in 1972. The Temple of Debod is one of the most unusual historical monuments of Ancient Egypt that Spain has.
Inside the modern temple, the layout of the temple has been preserved in its original form. Each visitor who happened to be near this historical monument can get acquainted with its decorations, historical events, which are captured on video recordings and audiovisual compositions.
A large number of relief images that adorned the temple in past centuries were destroyed when the construction of the dam of the Aswan Dam took place. The priests had access to the iconography of the gods, which the restorers could not restore, so this place is considered lost.
Temple of Debod for visitors
The Temple of Debod became a center of pilgrimage. It is one of the most popular places among tourists dedicated to the Egyptian gods.
Madrid gave all residents and guests the opportunity to enter the temple grounds free of charge. This feature of visiting the monument of ancient Egyptian culture makes it even more attractive for numerous tourists. Guided tours run at fixed hours.
Arriving in Madrid, you should definitely look into the Temple of Debod and get acquainted with the ancient cultural monument donated by Egypt. Near the Temple of Debod, there is a beautiful Western Park, where you can relax from the bustle of the city.
The Temple of Debod in Madrid becomes especially mysterious and beautiful after dark. Take the opportunity to visit this mysterious monument in Madrid in person.
Walking around Madrid northwest from Plaza España, towards the Oeste Park, you can stumble upon an attraction that you least expect to see in a cosmopolitan capital. It seems incredible, but in front of you egyptian temple Debod IV century BC, and completely authentic, transported by stone from the Nile Valley and erected in the middle of the lake, oriented from east to west, i.e. just as he stood in his homeland. Despite the fact that many consider this place unsuitable for such a structure, the temple opened to the public in 1972.
This is Templo de Debod, an early Egyptian monument of architecture, donated to Spain in 1968 by the Egyptian authorities for help in the construction of the Aswan Dam and assistance in the preservation of cultural property. During the construction of the dam, along with three more cultural monuments, it fell into the flood zone and, thus, found a second life in the park.
Temple of Debod was built Adijalamani, the ruler of the state of Meroe, now it is the territory of Sudan, and is dedicated to god Amon, as evidenced by the bas-reliefs inside the sanctuary. During the reign of the Ptolemies, when the cult of Amun was replaced by the cult of the goddess Isis, the temple expanded and was supplemented with ritual gates. Every year, with the rising of the star Sirius, the priests performed rituals at the statue of the goddess, interpreting her messages. After the arrival of the Romans, Augustus and Tiberius also contributed to the decoration of the temple.
Unfortunately, the bas-reliefs and inscriptions were damaged by water and practically did not survive; they are no longer amenable to restoration. Nevertheless, passing through two gates to the temple of Debod, access to which was previously allowed only to priests, you can temporarily plunge into the history of the once powerful kingdom. Originally there were three gates, but only two were recreated. Inside you can see a multimedia exhibition dedicated to the history of ancient egypt. The complex is very beautiful at night, when the illuminated walls shine with gold in the middle of the dark water. In addition, excellent views of the city open up from the platform behind the temple, so don't forget to take your camera. In summer, the park has numerous open verandas where you can spend a pleasant evening, and the funicular in the park operates all year round.