Description of the attraction
Another of the main and perhaps the most famous landmarks of Madrid is Puerta del Sol, which is the central square of the city. This square was formed on the site of a former gate in the wall that surrounded the city in the Middle Ages. The square got its name thanks to these gates: Puerta del Sol means the Solar Gate. In 1521, the Gate of the Sun was demolished to widen the entrance to the city, the space around it increased, and thus a square was formed on this place.
Today, the Puerta del Sol square is shaped like a month and is the intersection of eight roads at once. In the center of the square, a bronze plate is mounted in the ground, which is considered the zero point of reference for road distances in Spain, because Puerta del Sol is the center of Madrid, and Madrid, in turn, is the center of the country.
In the center of the square there is a monument to Charles III, who is depicted sitting in the saddle, and at the corner with Carmen Street there are sculptures of the Bear and a strawberry tree made of bronze, which are symbols of the Spanish capital. These symbols are also depicted on the coat of arms of Madrid.
The Post Office building is also located here, the construction date of which dates back to 1761. The top of the tower of this building is decorated with a clock, which traditionally repels blows on New Year's Eve, symbolizing the coming of the New Year. This building is now the seat of the government of the Autonomous Region of Madrid.
In 1919, it was under the Puerta del Sol that the first line of the city's metro was laid.
