Temple of Debod — Attraction in Madrid

I had a ticket on me and entered through the gate on the side of the museum and then completed a tour of the inside of the temple. After the tour, I stepped outside to take a picture, and in order to take a good view, I stepped down into the 'water area' (there was no water) to take a better picture. At the same time, I saw some people entering into the temple without a ticket and jumping over the border. The security guard told them to leave and then he saw me there as well and thought I had entered without a ticket, then he started yelling at me to leave as well. I tried to explain to him I had a ticket and he said to me (in Spanish) that I needed to enter through the gates. I can understand Spanish but can't speak it very well, and the security guard only spoke Spanish so I wasn't able to explain to him that I had already entered the right way (through the gates) and visited the museum. I also showed him the guide book that you only receive if you have entered the museum and they've checked your ticket, but he just wasn't willing to listen and kept yelling at me to get out of the site and enter the correct way. Basically, I think you're not allowed to walk in the 'water area' (you're not allowed to step down, I think) but it was all lost in translation. I already got my pictures so I decided it's not worth arguing...

On my recent travels to Madrid, Spain (July 2025), I discovered this gem by chance. I was intrigued to visit and looked up where it was. Luckily I checked as yes the park where it is located and vicinity is FREE but to get inside the temple itself, you have to go online to the Temple of Debod's website and book a FREE timeslot ticket given capacity is limited to 15 at a time within the temple.

If you are interested in architecture and Egyptian history and hieroglyphics then this is well worth paying a visit to. It's unusual and captivating.

Inside the temple, some of the hieroglyphics are very faint, some are more prominent than others but they are visible to the eye.

There is a small, very narrow staircase to go upstairs to a mini Museum which has artefacts and small scale models which is worth seeing.

You are allowed to take pictures as long as you don't use a flash. You are given 30 mins which includes both the temple and outside so use at your discretion.

To book your ticket, go on the Temple of Debod website, register and book a timeslot for your FREE 30 min slot and then they will send you your free ticket with your QR code. Bare in mind if you go in summer time, in the open sunshine, it is very hot and no shade unless you go within the park area where the trees are...

The Egyptian Temple of Debod is located in the barrio Casa de Campo belonging to the district of Moncloa-Aravaca. The Egyptian temple dates back to the 2nd century BC and is a gift from the Egyptians to the Spanish for helping them rescue their legendary stone temples of Abu Simbel from the floods caused after the construction of the Aswan Dam canal in the Aswan area. In the 6th century AD the temple was sealed and abandoned. In the 20th century, due to the construction of the dam, the Egyptian government gave the temple as a gift to the city of Madrid and was moved and rebuilt stone by stone to its current location.It opened to the public in 1972. The reconstruction in Madrid preserved the original orientation of the building, ie from East to West. At the monument surrounded by greenery, you will meet tourists wandering around the site on their own, but also locals enjoying their morning exercise while the sun rises behind this ancient building. The Templo de Debod is located in the Parque de la Montaña, on a small slope between the Plaza de España and the Manzanares River. This elevated location makes it one of the best spots to watch the sunset in Madrid, allowing views of the Royal Palace and the...