TRIP An ancient Egyptian temple originally located in Southern Egypt completely dismantled and relocated to Madrid, Spain. Located within the Parque del Oeste, the temple is one of the best complete examples of ancient Egyptian architecture that can be found anywhere outside Egypt.
TAP Due to the risk posed to a number of ancient Egyptian monuments during the construction of Aswan High Dam in 1960, many countries came to the aid of UNESCO to ensure important sites, such as Abu Simbel and many others, were not destroyed. To thank Spain for their contribution to the preservation effort, Egypt gifted the Templo de Debod. Originally built as a site for worshiping the God Amun, the entire temple was deconstructed and shipped to Spain in pieces in order for it to be reerected in its current location.
The Templo de Debod consists of two stone gateways and the main temple building. Once inside, visitors will find informative displays detailing the process of deconstructing and reconstructing the temple as well detailed descriptions of the symbols located throughout. The upper level is accessed via a narrow stairway which opens into a large room filled with interesting artefacts and scale models displaying what the environment would have looked like in the temples original location in Southern Egypt.
GO Visiting the Templo de Debod is free. Due to the number of visitors allowed inside at one time being limited, consider an early visit as there is usually a line waiting to enter this popular attraction. Templo de Debod is easily accessible via the Madrid Metro train network (Ventura Rodriguez station). Visit Madrid Metro’s official website for route maps, fares and other useful information.
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