Puerta del Sol
Puerta del Sol is Madrid's central square and the symbolic kilometer zero of Spain's road network, marked by a plaque in the pavement from which all national distances are measured. It's also famous for the Tio Pepe sign, the city's bear-and-strawberry-tree statue (the Madrid coat of arms symbol), and as the site of the Puerta del Sol clock whose midnight chimes on New Year's Eve are a national tradition watched on television across Spain.
As one of the busiest pedestrian intersections in the city, it's less a place to linger than a hub, surrounded by shopping streets, connecting to Gran Via, Plaza Mayor, and the wider old town. It's also historically a site of major political demonstrations, most notably the 15-M protest movement that camped here in 2011.
Puerta del Sol FAQs
A marker plaque in the pavement of Puerta del Sol from which all road distances in Spain are officially measured.
Its bells are broadcast nationally on New Year's Eve, when Spaniards traditionally eat twelve grapes timed to the twelve chimes at midnight.
Yes, it's centrally located and walkable to Plaza Mayor, Gran Via, and the main shopping streets.
El Oso y el Madrono (the bear and the strawberry tree), Madrid's official coat-of-arms symbol, cast as a statue in the square.
Yes, it's one of the busiest pedestrian spots in the city at almost any hour.
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