Square · Spain · Community of Madrid

Puerta del Sol

The symbolic heart of Spain, where the clock chimes ring in the New Year with twelve grapes.

Free to enter about 30 min

For storytellers

Why Puerta del Sol matters

This busy semicircular plaza is the symbolic centre of Spain, marked by a plaque on the ground from which the country's roads are measured. On New Year's Eve, Spaniards gather here, and as the clock strikes midnight they eat twelve grapes, one with each chime. The bear and strawberry-tree statue is the city's emblem and a popular meeting point.

Talking points

  • A small plaque on the pavement marks the point from which Spain's roads are measured.
  • On New Year's Eve, people eat twelve grapes at the twelve chimes of the clock.
  • The bear and strawberry tree statue is the symbol of Madrid.

Free to read aloud or adapt in your video. Check facts that matter to you against an official source before you publish.

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