Templo de Debod

Even if history doesn’t interest you, you'll love the story behind Templo de Debod - It was a thank you for helping Egypt conserve ancient monuments from flooding in the Nile River when the government was constructing a new dam. If they didn’t move it, it would have been underwater forever, so they decided to painstakingly move it all the way to Spain.

Debod was originally built in the 2nd century BC as a dedication to the gods Amon and Isis. Today it is, not surprisingly, the oldest monument in Madrid!

To make the journey here, workers carefully deconstructed and packaged every piece, sent them to Valencia by boat, and then shipped them by train to Madrid. It took a few more years to rebuild the temple in the park, but it was worth all the effort because it is truly a beautiful piece of history.

There are two arched doors that look like they’re standing guard in front of the main temple, which is a fairly unassuming building from the outside. Inside, you can see photos of its history as well as ancient carvings in a small museum on the upper level.

My favorite part is the outside because it is a perfect balance of natural and artificial elements - Templo de Debod sits there, asking you to admire its stony beauty and take in its reflection on the still water.

My first time at Templo de Debod was on a Students Love Travel high school trip!

It is a great place to relax, day or night (although I prefer night because of the way the structures are lit up). The gardens that surround it also add to the tranquility of this area.

- Emily