Temple of Debod

The Temple of Debod is an ancient Egyptian sanctuary of sandstone in Parque del Oeste in Madrid, arranged in several connected chambers and passageways. The walls carry reliefs and hieroglyphs carved into the original stone blocks, recreating a typical spatial sequence of Nile temples.

The building originated in the second century before our era under Nubian rulers in Upper Egypt and came to Madrid in 1968 after flooding threatened from the Aswan Dam. Spain had participated in the international rescue campaign for the Nubian monuments and received the temple as a gift from Egypt.

The name comes from Debod, a site on the Nile south of Aswan, where the sanctuary stood on a river island. Today visitors seek out the shrine at sunset, when the reddish light colors the sandstone facade and reflects in the surrounding water basin.

The site opens in the morning and closes in the evening, except Mondays, and entry to all areas is free. Guided tours explain the hieroglyphs and room functions, but many visitors explore the chambers on their own in just a few minutes.

The stones traveled by ship and truck over more than 3000 kilometers and were reassembled on an artificial hill that mimics the original height above the Nile. The water basin around the base recalls the location on the river island.

Location: Moncloa-Aravaca

Location: Madrid

Architectural style: ancient Egyptian architecture

Accessibility: Wheelchair limited access

Address: Calle Ferraz 1

Opening Hours: October-March: Tuesday-Friday 09:45-13:45,16:15-18:15; October-March: Saturday,Sunday,Holidays 09:30-20:00; April-September: Tuesday-Friday 10:00-14:00,18:00-20:00; April-September: Saturday,Sunday,Holidays 09:30-20:00; Monday off; January 01,January 06,May 01,December 25: off

Phone: +34913667415

Email: templodebod@madrid.es

Website: http://munimadrid.es/templodebod

GPS coordinates: 40.42405,-3.71778

Latest update: December 26, 2025 22:46