The Temple of Debod is an ancient Egyptian sanctuary reassembled in Madrid after Egypt donated it to Spain. Its stones traveled from Nubia to save them from the rising waters of the Aswan Dam, making the monument a record of international cooperation and cultural displacement.
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These stone gateways began their life far from Madrid, in Nubia, where the temple was built over several centuries. The oldest core was begun in the early second century BCE under the Meroitic king Adijalamani and dedicated to Amun and Isis; later Ptolemaic rulers and Roman emperors added to it.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The temple’s earliest core dates to the early 2nd century BCE.
- It was dedicated to Amun and Isis.
- The temple was reassembled in Madrid and opened in 1972.
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