To provide a die for forming optical elements which is free of film peeling, has excellent durability and obviates fusion to glass by solving the problem of the film peeling by accompanying repetitive forming.

The forming die 1 which is the die for forming the optical elements used for press forming of the optical elements consisting of glass is constituted by arranging at least one kind of metallic film selected from metals as a first layer film 3 on at least a forming surface 2a of a die preform 2 of the forming die 1, arranging a film of at least one kind of the compound selected from nitride, carbide and oxide as a third layer film 5 on the extreme surface and arranging a second layer film 4 consisting of a mixture composed of the metal of the first layer film 3 and the compound of the third layer film 5 between the first layer film 3 and the third layer film 5 and having a film thickness of ≥1/5 of the film thickness of the third layer film 5.