Temple of Debod

Temple of Debod

In one of Madrid's inner city parks, the Parque del Oeste there is an unusual sight. Round a corner and you see an actual Egyptian temple! 
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So how did it get there? It was originally built 2,200 years ago in upper Egypt, on the banks of the Nile. It was dedicated to the goddess Isis and stood in the same location for over 2000 years.

In 1960, the creation of a large dam meant that nearby archaeological sites were under threat. Spain helped to fund the international effort to protect these sites, and so as a token of it's gratitude, Egypt gave Spain this temple!

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I queued up for my ticket to see inside the temple. Although the tickets are free, only a few people are allowed in at a time. It is quite a small space, although it is two stories. There are also some interactive exhibits about the history of the temple.

The outer part of the temple was originally part of a much larger structure. It was built to allow the rays of the sun to enter the temple at certain times of the day.