Madrid would not be Madrid without Puerta del Sol because it is the unquestioned centre of the city and the point of departure to the rest of Spain. We also think that Puerta del Sol is the most central area not only of Madrid but also of Spain. But has it always been thus? Has this square been so important throughout the decades? What was its origin? Today, we will take a walk into the past and learn more about the most famous square in Spain: Puerta del Sol. In our section “A Walk in the Past” we will write about it. We have already seen Paseo de la Castellana.

A FENCE SURROUNDING MADRID

In order to understand the origin of Puerta del Sol we must go back to the XV century. At that time Madrid was surrounded by a fence so as to separate the outskirts and the suburbs from the centre of the city. One of the entrances of the fence was in Puerta del Sol. Nobody knows for sure the source of the name. However, most historians coincide with the fact that the name may be because of a picture of the sun in the entrance of the fence. This picture indicated the orientation of the sun in that specific place.

In 1570, Puerta del Sol was mentioned for the first time. The main building of the square was built by king Carlos III and it became the General Post Office. Nowadays, this same building is the central office of the Madrid autonomous community. From the XVII century onwards, Puerta del Sol functioned as a meeting point for the people of Madrid. In 1847, some buildings were pulled down and hence the square changed to its current appearance.

A CENTRAL POINT

In 1950, the Sol district is famed for its Kilómetro Cero, from which all distances in Spain are mapped.

In 1962, Televisión Española broadcasts, for the first time, the celebration of New Year´s Eve where we listen to the last twelve chimes of the year. It has become a tradition since then. At that time some gardens and fountains were added, even though trams and cars also moved along the square which left little space for pedestrians.

In 1986, the area for passers-by was enlarged and vehicles were restricted. In 2009, the suburban city rail station was built, sparking off a great deal of controversy due to its avant-garde design.

A TRADITIONAL MENTIDERO (GOSSIP PLACE)

In the XVI century, Convento de San Felipe was located in Puerta del Sol. Unfortunately it no longer exists. However, its flight of stairs called Gradas de San Felipe, resulted in a popular meeting place where the citizens exchanged news and gossip. Gradas de San Felipe has gone down in history as one of the great Mentideros (Gossip Place), of Madrid.

Old pictures: Madrid Antiguo

Modern picture: Miguel Checa