Templo de Debod

Recently, I discovered a new place in Madrid.

I didn't think I could discover anything else here - I actually thought I had seen everything there is to see. But it turns out that I forgot about one place. I remembered about it when I saw some of my friends' photos in Facebook from a place called Templo de Debod, which apparently was somewhere in here in the city and seemed really cool.

It is located between the Plaza de España and Principe Pío stations. I decided to go to Principe Pio because it was a better connection for me and I was surprised to find that the station is three things: a metro station, a bus station and a big shopping centre. I took a few pictures and took out my phone to guide me to the Templo de Debod, where I was heading. I got there soon, it was really easy, although I had to climb some giant stairs in the middle of the park because it is situated on a hill in the middle of the park. The place is just beautiful. There first thing that I loved about it is that you can see a bit of a panorama on the city, with its red rooftops and la Catedral de la Almudena in the distance. I just stood there, leaning against the barrier and just staring into space, thinking. I will go there every time I need to think about something, or take a decision, or just feel better about myself and my life. It is still more of a solitary place for me, or at least a romantic place to go to with your boyfriend to see the sunset.

And then the temple itself. It is located on the water, and there is even a fountain! Let me tell a little bit about what I learnt about it. For all I know, it is an Egyptian building that was a gift to Spain from Egypt, for having helped with the preservation of the Abu Simbel temple in Egypt, what was an international initiative of UNESCO. It is said it has more than 2 200 years.

You can enter the temple if you want, but I didn't, because there is always a line and I don't like waiting in any kind of lines.

If you like sightseeing, or if you just want to find a peaceful place to go for a walk or do some thinking, read a book or whatever it is you like doing, this is perfect place for you to see.

The Temple of Debod (Templo de Debod in Spanish) is an Egyptian temple which can be found in Madrid, in Mountain Park (Parque de la Montaña), and which has been there since 1968. It has been declared one of Spain's Sites of Cultural Interest, and it was a complete discovery for me.

Though the Temple has been in Madrid since 1968, it was built in 200 BC! You must be wondering what it's doing in Madrid... Well, it was a gift to Madrid from Egypt, representing their gratitude for Spain's aid in saving the Abu Simbel temples in Nubia. New York, Holland, and Italy also received one of the temples they had helped to save as a gift. The Egyptians were very grateful, and I am even more so because I am fascinated by Egyptian culture and architecture, and since I haven't yet had the opportunity to go there myself, at least this way I can see small representations of the country's history in a number of the world's important cities.

In Madrid, the Temple of Debod retains its original orientation, facing from East to West. It has two rectangular arches, one in front of the other, and at one end there is a bigger building known as a mammisi (a name used to refer to chapels attached to larger temples and related to the nativity of a god); these three parts are surrounded by water on all sides but one. The Temple itself is dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis, while the chapel is dedicated to the gods Isis Amun.

The Temple's walls have markings and inscriptions left by visitors through the ages, which are fascinating to discover throughout your visit.

Another important aspect of the area is its views, especially of the Almudena Cathedral (Catedral de la Almudena) and of the Casa de Campo park. I'd recommend you go there in an instant, if only for these views - they're gorgeous and magical. I actually found out about this place thanks to a Spanish TV show called "Sin Tetas no hay Paraíso, " as the most romantic scenes between the two protagonists were filmed at this viewpoint. When I researched how to get there, I saw that it was next to the Temple of Debod, and since I love Egypt this was a pleasant surprise. I went there with my friends, they hadn't heard about it before and they loved it, and it surprised them even more than it did me. We spent the whole morning in the area, taking photos, sunbathing, enjoying the views, and relaxing on the grass.

The best time to visit is at sundown. The Temple is lit up and the sight transports you to another place, it doesn't feel like you're in Madrid at all!

The Temple's visiting hours are from 10:00 till 14:00 and from 18:00 till 20:00 Monday to Friday from April to September, and from 09:45 till 13:45 and from 16:15 till 18:15 October to March. Visiting hours are shorter on Saturdays and Sundays, and are from 10:00 till 14:00.

The closest metro stops to get to the Temple are Plaza de España (lines 3 and 10) and Ventura Rodríguez (line 3). The Temple is on the western side of the Plaza de España, which is at the far end of the Gran Vía, so if you're in the city centre you can get there on foot, though it's quite a walk.

One of the things that I like most about Madrid is the closeness of all of its cultural and tourist attractions. I was walking back to my house and, without even having planned it, I had stumbled across the famous Templo de Debod.

This particular attraction is one of the architectural pieces that catches your attention more for the history behind it rather than for its initial appearance, although, visually, it also has its charm. The temple is over 2200 years old! (It was built in 200 BC).

The history of the Templo de Debod

I am sure that, like myself, you will ask what an Egyptian ruin is doing in Madrid, a city so architecturally rich and varied.

The Templo de Debod was brought directly from Egypt. It is one of the four gifts that the aforementioned country gave in 1968 as a way of thanking the Spanish for the help they received after the international call made by UNESCO to save the temples in Nubia, which were at risk following the construction of the Aswan High Dam. In total, four temples were donated, with the other three residing in the United States, Italy and the Netherlands.

The temple was brought to Spain by boat; a move that took many years. The restoration of the temple was a complicated process, as there were not enough architectural blueprints for them to use upon arrival to build it again. After some arduous research, the Spanish architects had to rebuild it, using rough estimates (of course)!

How much does it cost to visit?

Entrance to the Templo de Debod is free every day, as it is located within one of the city's many parks, the Parque del Oeste.

What are the attraction's opening hours?

The temple can be appreciated in all its beauty at all hours of the day, every single day of the year. If you want to enter the inner part of the temple, you will only be able to do so between 10am and 2pm, and 6pm and 8pm.

Preservation and entertainment

Despite the structure having changed quite a bit from how it originally was before being moved to Spain, it seems, at least in my eyes, to have been very well-preserved by Madrid City Council.

A pond was placed around the temple to try to simulate the conditions that it was found in when it was still in Egypt, as it was located right next to the River Nile.

The inner temple has been closed both times that I have been to the Templo de Debod, but I know that there are activities for children which can both entertain them and help them get to know the history of the monument a bit better.

Sadly, the youth of Madrid are fans of graffiti, and the monument has not been an exception in their repertoire of work. However, the maintenance team have done a great job of getting rid of it with various chemical treatments.

Recommendations

• The Templo de Debod is located close to a lookout point (over the Casa de Campo), so it's for this reason that I recommend going between 6pm and 8pm, as the sunsets are absolutely incredible to see and enjoy from there.
• Get up close to the exterior façade of the temple and look at it closely, as you will be able to find old drawings done by the Egyptians; amongst these, you will find a camel.
• Take advantage of the fact that the Teleférico de Madrid and the Plaza de España (along with the Cervantes Monument) are located just a few short minutes away, making it even easier for you to visit them.
• This temple is located within a park, so it's very common to see people having a picnic on the park benches, reading a book on the grass, or simply sitting down and taking in the surroundings. You should do one of these things whilst you are visiting: the amazing views of both the city and the architecture ends up being somewhat inspiring.