Debod Temple and the Parque Oueste

Some cities have some interesting suprises, and Madrid is one of those cities. One of it's many parks and gardens, the Parque Oeste in the centre has a very interesting feature - A whole Egyptian Temple. Crazy I hear you say, and I concur, but after seeing this in real life a couple of times I have had to accept it is real.



Apparently the Debod Temple was a gift to Spain from the Egyptian government, so I guess it's not so bad as a whole Temple stolen by some of the other countries in the world (Britain and Germany I am looking at you!) which are concealed away in public museums.

It is rather surreal to walk off Plaza España into a park which greats you with a monument built by the ancient Egyptians, but at least the weather is more comparable in Spain so it doesnt feel too surreal (as opposed to if it was in London or New York). But still it is an interesting and pleasant sight. I have never arrived at the park in time to go inside the temple, and I intend to make it a mission in the future when I have time to explore Madrid again.



The park around it is lovely, with wonderful views of the Palacio Real and the Cathedral which are a must see for any budding photo-snapping tourist, or a romantic who adores gorgeous views. I think that the Parque Oeste is one of the more under rated parks in Madrid. Most visitors will go to Retiro, which while Retiro is grand and has a certain "je ne sais quoi" about it, Parque Oeste also has some wonderful features which are definately worth seeing. I mean, how many parks have an Egyptian Temple and a breath taking view of the palace? Not many I wager.