Temple of Debod

About this place

This ancient temple originally stood near Aswan in Egypt and dates back to the early 2nd century BCE. Egypt gave it to Spain in recognition of its help saving Nubian monuments. Its reconstruction in Madrid tells a modern story of international heritage preservation. The stones were dismantled, transported and reassembled in Madrid between 1970 and 1972. This makes Debod unusual: the monument is ancient, but its relationship with the Spanish capital is recent. Thinking about both dates helps distinguish the temple's original religious setting from its later life as a preserved monument.