Did you know that there is an Egyptian Temple in Madrid? It is a fascinating site with an interesting story. In 1960 UNESCO put out an international call for help in saving several temples and archaeological sites along the Nile River. The high Aswan Dam was being built on the Nile and if nothing was done many treasures in Abu Simbel would soon be under water. Spain and several other countries responded and were nicely repaid for their help with temples! Originally the Templo de Debod (dedicated to the god Amun and goddess Isis) stood about 15 km from Aswan but in 1969 it was dismantled and shipped to Valencia where it was put on a train and transported to Madrid. It opened to visitors in 1972 in the Parque del Oeste in central Madrid.
The Netherlands, United States, and Italy were also thanked for their help with temples. You can visit the Temple of Taffeh at the National Archaeological Museum in the Netherlands, the Temple of Dendur at the MET in NYC, and also the Temple of Ellesiga at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy. Jill and I enjoyed touring the inside of the temple where we received a nice history lesson and a close up view of the sandstone carvings.
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