Puerta del Sol

The Puerta del Sol, in Madrid

The Puerta del Sol is the most famous and the liveliest square of Madrid, the nerve centre of the Spanish capital. The Madrid audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this emblematic place, the zero point of the roads of Spain and the theatre of the great festivities.

The heart of Madrid and the kilometre zero

The Puerta del Sol is the heart of Madrid and one of the most emblematic places of Spain. This vast semicircular square, always crowded, is a major crossroads where numerous commercial streets converge. It is here that the kilometre zero is located, a plaque sealed in the ground that marks the starting point of the great radial roads of the country. There you admire the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the emblem of the town, become one of the symbols of Madrid, as well as an equestrian statue of King Charles III. The square is dominated by the former Post Office building, topped with the clock whose twelve chimes mark the passage to the new year, when the people of Madrid swallow a grape at each chime. A place of meeting and celebrations, the Puerta del Sol is the lively centre of the capital.

What to see

Here you enjoy the vast always lively square, with the kilometre zero of the roads of Spain sealed in the ground, the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the emblem of Madrid, the equestrian statue of Charles III and the clock of the former Post Office whose twelve chimes mark the New Year. The Puerta del Sol is the heart of Madrid. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Puerta del Sol lies in the heart of Madrid, reachable on foot and by public transport, including the metro. It is a vast freely accessible public square; the surrounding shops have their own hours. It is lively day and night and very frequented during the festivities, notably on New Year's Eve.

What is the kilometre zero of the Puerta del Sol in Madrid?

A plaque sealed in the ground of the square that marks the starting point of the great radial roads of Spain; the Puerta del Sol also shelters the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree and the clock whose twelve chimes mark the New Year.

Where is the Puerta del Sol?

In the heart of Madrid, in Spain.