Observations: The Temple of Debod is one of the few examples of Egyptian architecture that can be seen in its entirety outside Egypt, and the only one of its characteristics in Spain.
It was built in the 4th century B.C., and until a few decades ago it stood in southern Egypt, very near the first Nile waterfall and the great religious centre dedicated to the goddess Isis in Philae.
This Egyptian temple was given to Spain in 1968 in gratitude for the efforts of the Spanish archaeological team who helped save the temples in the Nubia valley when they were threatened with flooding from the waters of the Aswan dam.
The temple was inaugurated in 1972, and can now be seen in its new home to the east of the Plaza de Espaņa square, next to the Paseo del Pintor Rosales. This monument, acknowledged to be the oldest in Madrid, is oriented in the same direction as it was in its place of origin: from east to west.
Brief History
Its construction was begun at the beginning of the second century B.C. by Adijalamani, king of the frontier country of Meroe, who erected a shrine dedicated to the gods Amon and Isis. Various kings from the Ptolemaic dynasty subsequently added new compartments around the original structure. The Roman emperors Augustus, Tiberius and possibly Hadrian completed the construction and decoration of the building.
The first accurate description of the building that reached Europe dates from 1813, when the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt was sent to inspect and survey the area on behalf of Napoleon.
In 1961, due to the construction of the new dam at Aswan, it was dismantled stone by stone and deposited on Elephantine Island until it was later moved to the port of Alexandria.
In 1968, the temple was donated to Spain by the Egyptian nation in gratitude for the help received in saving the temples of Abu Simbel.
Once it had been shipped to Spain stone by stone, the complicated work of reconstructing and restoring the temple began. This included the installation inside of warm air conditioning to recreate the dry atmosphere of the Nubian climate. As a reminder of the river near which it used to stand, a shallow pool was built across the three access doors to the temple. The reconstruction work on the monument lasted two years. It was inaugurated on 20 July, 1972.
The building
The temple has now been restored and the missing pieces have been reconstructed. It comprises a series of rooms which are open to visitors, including the following:
The Chapel of Adijalamani or the Bas-relief Chapel: This room is in the oldest part of the temple and has been preserved in its original condition. The chapel is decorated with scenes showing the king worshipping the gods and offering sacrifices. Since time immemorial this chapel was dedicated to the god Amon, although later other gods such as Isis, Hathor, Osiris, Horus, etc. were also worshipped here.
Mammisi: The word "mammisi" is of Coptic origin and means "birthplace", as this was where the ceremonies celebrating the birth of the god Horus were held. This room was the last of the Roman contributions to the temple, and is thought to have been added at the time of the emperor Tiberius (42 B.C. to A.D. 37). This construction completely breaks with the characteristic symmetry of Egyptian temples.
There is a skylight on the south wall through which a diffuse light enters, providing the appropriate atmosphere for the religious sacrament.
Other rooms in the Temple of Debod include the following: Vestibule or pronaos, the antechamber of the naos, the chamber of the naos or inner temple, corridor, chapel of Osiris and terrace.
