Templo de Debod

About the museum

The core of the temple, a chapel dedicated to Amun and Isis, was built by the Meroitic king Adijalamani around 200–180 BC in Nubia. Several Ptolemaic kings later enlarged it, among them Ptolemy VI, VIII and XII, and the Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius completed it in the Roman period, finishing the pronaos and the interior decoration. With the closure of the Isis sanctuaries on Philae in the 6th century, it ceased to be a place of worship and was forgotten for centuries.

In 1907 the first Aswan Dam flooded the temple for much of the year, damaging its polychromy and reliefs. The construction of a new dam made it necessary to dismantle it in 1961, within the international campaign to save the monuments of Nubia. In 1968 Egypt donated it to Spain in gratitude for Spain’s help in rescuing the temples of Abu Simbel.

The blocks arrived in Valencia in June 1970 and were transferred to Madrid, where the temple was inaugurated on 18 July 1972. In 2008 it was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (Spanish heritage designation). It reopened in September 2017, after more than a year closed due to air-conditioning problems.

Today it forms part of the network of Madrid Municipal Museums. Its interior, made up of small rooms, functions as a permanent exhibition space. Visits are free and capacity is limited, so booking in advance is recommended.

Highlights

• Chapel of Adijalamani, the oldest core of the temple
• Original reliefs from the Ptolemaic and Roman periods
• Permanent exhibition inside on the history of the temple
• Free admission, advance booking recommended
• Pool and porticoes outside, with open access

Permanent exhibition

• Exposición permanente del Templo de Debod – Tour of the temple’s rooms, explaining its construction, its rediscovery, the rescue of the Nubian temples and its move to Madrid.

Founded

1972

Operated by

Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Museos Municipales)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free. Advance booking through the municipal ticket booking service is recommended, as capacity is limited and access without a booking is not guaranteed. Dates and sessions for each month can be booked from the 15th of the previous month, up to 6 tickets per booking.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The temple has no adapted access for people with reduced mobility, and moving around inside is difficult, as the rooms are small and there are steps at the thresholds. There is an induction loop. Only guide dogs for people with visual impairments are admitted.

Kids & families

Children are welcome; under-16s must always be accompanied by an adult.

Getting there & parking

BiciMAD station no. 115 on Calle de Evaristo San Miguel, between Paseo del Pintor Rosales and Calle de Ferraz.

Amenities & dining

• Wi-Fi

The official listing states that the temple is a Wi-Fi zone.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit