Museums.artTickets

Temple of Debod: an Egyptian temple on a Madrid hill

It is a strange sight, an Egyptian temple reflected in a pool among the pines of a Madrid park, with the towers of the Plaza de España behind. At sunset, when the sky turns orange over the Casa de Campo, the whole city seems to come to watch.

Find Tickets
Admission
Free
Open
Tue to Sun 10:00 to 20:00
Closed
Mondays
Allow
30 minutes to 1 hour

Madrid this week

    What to see at the Temple of Debod

    1. The gateways and the pool

      Two stone gateways stand in front of the temple, and a long pool reflects all three. It is the view everyone photographs.

    2. Inside the temple

      The original sanctuary of Amun, with its carved reliefs of the king making offerings to the gods, and rooms with models and panels on the temple's history.

    3. The sunset

      The terrace looks west over the Casa de Campo to the Sierra de Guadarrama. In summer the walls round the pool fill an hour before the sun goes down.

    4. The Parque del Oeste

      The park around the temple runs down to the river, with a rose garden and the cable car to the Casa de Campo nearby.

    Tickets and tours for the Temple of Debod

    • Sold by GetYourGuide

      Madrid: 2-Hour Sightseeing Segway Tour

      Two hours on a Segway with a guide, from the Almudena Cathedral and the Royal Palace to the river and the Temple of Debod.

      Included

      • A two-hour guided Segway ride
      • From the Royal Palace to the river and the Temple of Debod

      From

      €59

      Book Tickets

    More tickets and tours in Madrid

    Visiting the Temple of Debod: hours and admission

    Opening hours

    Tuesday to Sunday and holidays
    10:00 to 20:00, last entry 19:30
    • From 15 June to 15 September the temple closes at 19:00, last entry 18:30.
    • Closed on Mondays, holidays included, and on 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 24, 25 and 31 December.
    • The hours apply to the inside of the temple. The gardens and the terrace are a public park.

    Who gets in free

    • Everyone. Entry costs nothing, but places inside are few, and the city recommends booking online. Without a booking, entry is not guaranteed.

    Getting there

    Metro
    Plaza de España (lines 3 and 10) or Ventura Rodríguez (line 3), five minutes on foot.
    On foot
    Five minutes from the Plaza de España up the Calle de Ferraz, and fifteen from the Royal Palace.
    By car
    The centre of Madrid is a low-emission zone, and parking in it is scarce and paid. Leave the car outside.

    Address

    Templo de Debod
    Calle de Ferraz 1
    28008 Madrid, Spain

    Entrances

    The main gate to the gardens is on the Calle de Ferraz, and there is another from the Paseo del Pintor Rosales. The inside of the temple is not accessible to wheelchairs.

    On the map

    Before you go

    • Entry is free, but the room inside holds few people at a time. The city recommends booking a free entry online, and without one you may not get in.
    • The temple is closed on Mondays. The gardens and the view are open whatever the day.
    • For the sunset, arrive early and stand on the western terrace, not by the pool.
    • The Royal Palace is fifteen minutes away on foot, and the Plaza de España five.

    A gift from Egypt, rebuilt stone by stone

    The temple was begun early in the second century BC by Adikhalamani, a king of Meroë, as a small chapel to Amun near the first cataract of the Nile, fifteen kilometres south of Aswan. The Ptolemies enlarged it and gave it to Isis, and the emperors Augustus and Tiberius finished its decoration.

    When the Aswan High Dam threatened to drown the temples of Nubia, UNESCO called for help to save them. Spain sent archaeologists and money, above all for Abu Simbel, and in 1968 Egypt gave it the Temple of Debod in thanks.

    It was taken apart, shipped to Spain and rebuilt in 1970 to 1972 on the hill of the Cuartel de la Montaña, the barracks where fighting broke out at the start of the Civil War. Its gateways were set up in a different order from the original.

    Temple of Debod: common questions

    What are the opening hours of the Temple of Debod?
    Tuesday to Sunday and holidays: 10:00 to 20:00, last entry 19:30. From 15 June to 15 September the temple closes at 19:00, last entry 18:30. Closed on Mondays, holidays included, and on 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 24, 25 and 31 December. The hours apply to the inside of the temple. The gardens and the terrace are a public park.
    What does the tour include?
    A two-hour guided Segway ride. From the Royal Palace to the river and the Temple of Debod. It is sold by GetYourGuide.
    Is the Temple of Debod free?
    Yes. Entry costs nothing, but places inside are few, and the city recommends booking a free entry online in advance.
    Why is there an Egyptian temple in Madrid?
    Egypt gave it to Spain in 1968 to thank it for its help in saving the temples of Nubia, Abu Simbel above all, from the waters of the Aswan High Dam. It was rebuilt in Madrid and opened in 1972.
    When is the best time to visit the Temple of Debod?
    Late in the afternoon, to see the temple reflected in its pool and then the sun setting over the Casa de Campo from the terrace beside it.

    What visitors say about the Temple of Debod

    Rating from Google

    4.4

    70,511 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 17 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

    More to see in Madrid

    Everything in Madrid

    Things to do near the Temple of Debod

    The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.

    All 20 things to do in Madrid

    Where to eat near the Temple of Debod

    The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Madrid. Distances are in a straight line.

    All 20 restaurants in Madrid, ranked

    Hotels near the Temple of Debod

    The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Madrid. Distances are in a straight line.

    All 14 hotels in Madrid, ranked