Temple of Debod

It is one of the most peculiar monuments of Madrid. During centuries, this temple stood in Southern Egypt near the 1st cataract of the River Nile and the great religious centre dedicated to the goodness Isis, in Philae. This building comes from the II Century B.C. and it was given as a present from Egypt to Spain. It was built by Adijalamani, the Nubian King of the country of Meroe, in 200- 180 B.C. and was dedicated to the Egyptian goodness Amon (Amani in the Nubian language) and Isis. It has elements from the Ptolemaic period and the Roman- imperial period (I Century B.C. and II A.C.) that completed its construction and decoration.

The Temple of Debod was a present from Egypt to Spain in 1968, due to the Spanish help, after the international call made by the UNESCO for saving the temples of the Nubian region, mainly Abul Simbel´ s temple that was in danger due to the construction of the Great Dam of the Aswan. The Temple of Debod constitutes one of the few works of the ancient Egyptian architecture that can be seen outside Egypt and the only one of this type in Spain.

Interesting resources

   Photos of the Temple of Debod