Temple of Debod in Madrid: A Free 2,000-Year-Old Egyptian Temple, a Drained Pond and the Cover Debate

There's an Egyptian temple in a Madrid park, and it costs nothing to see. The Temple of Debod stands in the Parque del Oeste, a few minutes' walk from Plaza de España and the Royal Palace, and on a clear evening half the city seems to come here for the sunset.

It got here by way of a dam. In the 1960s the Aswan High Dam was about to flood the Nubian valley, and an international campaign moved the monuments that could be moved. Spain helped save the temples of Abu Simbel. In 1968 Egypt gave Spain the Temple of Debod in thanks. It was taken apart, shipped in pieces and rebuilt, and it opened in Madrid on July 25 1972. More than 1,350 of its original blocks are in the walls you see.

This is the classic view. Two stone gateways leading to the temple, the whole thing doubled in the long reflecting pool. Enjoy the reflection while you can. The pond has spent years out of action.

The water problem

The pool leaked. In June 2025 the city sent in machinery to bring it back. By April 2026 reports showed it drained again, with graffiti and scratches on the stone. The city said the damage wasn't recent and that the water barrier would be restored, without giving a date. Go expecting a dry basin and be pleased if it's full.

That links to an older argument. Madrid's weather is harsh on sandstone, with hot summers, cold winters and city pollution, and the temple stands in the open. In February 2020 the city announced an ideas competition to cover it permanently. By 2022 it said covering it wasn't even being considered. The temple has been a protected monument since 2007, which hasn't stopped the wear.

Visiting

The grounds are free and open to everyone. The interior is free too, but small, so numbers are limited and booking through the city's website is advised. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 20:00, and 10:00 to 19:00 from mid-June to mid-September. It's closed on Mondays.

Inside you'll find a few rooms with reliefs, models and explanation panels. Ten or fifteen minutes is enough. The real visit is outside, on the terrace behind the temple, looking west over the Casa de Campo.

Combine it with the Royal Palace and the Almudena cathedral for a free or cheap half day. Then stay for the sunset. That part has no booking system.