Distance from puerto del sol plaza spain. Puerta del Sol is the central city square of Madrid. Bear and strawberry tree

Madrid is always a lively city with spacious squares and numerous monuments of culture and art. On its territory there are not only the most popular places in Spain, but also stunning historical monuments recognized as a UNESCO heritage site. In addition, Madrid is considered not only the cultural, but also the geographical center of the country, so it is recommended to start getting acquainted with Spain from this city. The heart of the capital itself has long been Puerta del Sol, opening up many roads to walks and discoveries for guests and residents of the metropolis.

Puerta del Sol in Madrid: historical sketch

The avenue received its unusual name, literally translated as “Sun Gate Square”, thanks to the gate of the same name, which was the entrance to the medieval city, surrounded by a high fortress wall. In 1525 the entrance to locality became free, and the area was expanded. However, the name, as a tribute to history, remained the same.
Over time, numerous architectural monuments appeared on the already central avenue:
— the Buen Sueso Temple, symbolizing the gratitude of the Spaniards to God for liberation from the plague;
— the beautiful monastery of San Felipe el Real;
- a stunning brothel, moved a few years later to a neighboring street due to the church located nearby.
IN XVII century The architecture of Buen Suezo was complemented by a luxurious fountain with a bronze bowl into which streams of water flowing from beautiful bronze masks fell.
In addition, it became the site of many historically significant events:
1) The famous "Cloak and Bonnet" rebellion in 1766
2) Rebellion against Napoleon's rule at the beginning of the 17th century
3) Beginning of the first Spanish Revolution
4) Proclamation of the “Cadiz Constitution” in 1812 and its ceremonial burning two years later
5) Proclamation of the Spanish Republic in 1931 and much more.

Also, it should be noted that Sunrise Square became a pioneer in many directions. It was here that the first electric lights were installed, the first tram ran through, the first metro line was laid, and the first car set off.
There are several large-scale reconstructions in the history of the square. The first dates back to the 60s of the 19th century, when most of the old buildings on the avenue were demolished and new houses were built, many of which have survived to this day. The second significant reconstruction was carried out in the second half of the last century, it was thanks to it that Puerta de Sol acquired its current appearance.

PuertadelSol Square in Madrid today

Modern central square is one of the main attractions of the city, which is appreciated by guests and visited by city guests with pleasure. Constantly walking in its open spaces a large number of people and the spirit of purity and freedom is in the air. The avenue has an unusual crescent shape and is rich in a variety of remarkable places:
1) The Real Casa de Correos building is an old post office building that served the entire city several centuries ago. Currently, meetings of the Madrid government are held within these walls. The vintage clock hanging on the façade of the building gives the building special historical and cultural value. They are the main measure of time in the country and, according to tradition, notify about the coming of the New Year. In addition, according to an old legend, for each strike of these clocks New Year's Eve You need to eat one grape at a time and make a wish. All of them, according to legend, will definitely come true.
On the facade of the former Post Office there are also two memorial plaques, reminiscent of the bloody events of 1808 and the terrible terrorist attack on Madrid trains in 2004.

2) Zero kilometer is a bronze plate driven into the asphalt in the center of the square from which all road distances in Spain begin to be counted. There are also legends about its mystical properties. According to legend, you need to stand on this plate and make your most cherished wishes.
3) The Bear Statue with the Strawberry Tree is the official symbol of Madrid, displayed on national flag and located in the eastern part of Puerta de Sol. The creation of the statue, cast in bronze, dates back presumably to the 11th century. Among local population There is a custom to arrange meetings with lovers near this monument.
4) The sculpture of Charles III is a monument to the Spanish monarch, depicting the ruler proudly sitting on a beautiful horse. The statue was erected as a thank you to the people of Madrid for the king's great contribution to the development of the city.
5) Academy of Arts
In addition, on the territory of the central avenue there are numerous entertainment venues, places for a delicious lunch or dinner, a variety of shops and souvenir shops. While walking around the square, shopping lovers will be greeted by alluring windows of boutiques of popular brands: FNAC, El Corte Inglés, Bershka, Zara, H&M and others.

PuertadelSol Square: how to get there?

We have previously indicated that the Puerta del Sol is central point not only Madrid, but also Spain. You can get to the heart of the famous capital using underground transport of the first, second and third metro lines, as well as by trains C-3 and C-4. You will need to get off at Puerta del Sol station.

The history of Puerta del Sol deserves a special story. Puerta del Sol has long been considered the geographical center of Spain. On one of the sidewalks of the square near the former “House of Post Offices” there is a large bronze number “0” walled up. From here distances to any point in the country are calculated. And only relatively recently scientists clarified that in fact the geographical center of Spain is located 14 km from here on the road to the city of Aranjuez. But the traditions, of course, were not changed, and Puerta del Sol is still considered the central square of Spain. Once upon a time there actually was a gate of the same name on this square, but in 1521, by order of King Carlos I, it was demolished. Then, from the 16th century, the “House of Tolerance”, then widely known in Madrid, was located here.

In the same century, it was moved next door - to Carmen Street, on which, by the way, as well as on the adjacent

streets and on the square itself, such establishments still exist.

In 1630, a fountain with a sculpture of Venus (sculptor Gacha) was installed on Puerta del Sol, or, as it is also called “Sunny Square,” and at that time there was a market around the fountain. Later, the sculpture of Venus was moved to Recoletos Boulevard, where it safely stood until 1984. Venus has seen many events and even experienced civil war, but in 1984 some modern vandals for some reason destroyed it. After restoration, Venus is now in the municipal museum, and a copy of it has been installed in the square.

The main building on Puerta del Sol is the so-called “Post House”, although it has not had anything to do with the post office for a very long time. The building was built by order of King Carlos III in 1768 to house the General Post Office of Madrid. The author of the project was the French architect Marche. However, since 1847, instead of a post office, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior has been located here, and since 1939, the General Directorate of Security, i.e. Franco's secret police (Gestapo). At that time there were many terrible stories and legends about the dungeons of this house. The building now houses the Government of the Autonomous Region of Madrid.

In 1866, a tower with a clock and a ball was built over the house. This clock was made and presented to the city by the talented Spanish craftsman Leon Ramon Losada. He was a shepherd, but had extraordinary abilities, thanks to which he was sent to study in England (so to speak, the Spanish version of the Russian Lefty). The clock on this tower is considered the main clock of Madrid and all of Spain. It is at this time that the country celebrates the New Year. Only once in 1978, the year when the old caretaker Pio Gabin Sagaradia, who had been watching the clock since 1912, retired from this job, the clock, by mistake of the young caretaker, announced the arrival of the New Year two minutes earlier. All of Spain was talking about this incident at the time.

During its existence, Puerta del Sol has seen many important events in the history of Spain: conspiracies and rebellion in the 18th century, a popular uprising against Napoleon that broke out here on May 2, 1608 and marked the beginning of the First Spanish Revolution. It was in this square that the “Cadiz Constitution” of 1812 was proclaimed, which was solemnly burned here after the defeat of the revolution in 1814. In this square, on April 14, 1931, the Spanish Republic was proclaimed, which fell in March 1939. And a lot more happened here.

In 1967, a symbolic symbol was installed at the edge of the square at the corner of Carmen Street. sculptural composition: a bear feasting on the berries of the madroño tree ("strawberry tree"). The image of this bear appeared on the coat of arms of Madrid in the 13th century. The bear represents the mountains, the tree represents the pastures. The tree, or rather a tall shrub, has fruits similar to large strawberries and lives up to 100 years, reaching a height of five to six meters. Its berries, which have narcotic properties, are used to make very strong red vodka. The Latin name for vodka is Arbutus unego, which loosely translated means “one glass is enough” or “one glass tree.” Sometimes the tree is called "Borrachin", which means "drunk". This tree used to grow everywhere in all regions of Spain, but now only about 250 stunted, low bushes with leaves that have lost their luster remain. They grow mainly on Prado Boulevard. Of the more or less well-preserved trees in the vicinity of Madrid, there are only two specimens: one in the Cardo garden, 10 km from Madrid, and one in the city of Aranjuez, 47 km from Madrid.

In the center of the square stands an equestrian statue of Charles III.

Puerta del Sol is also famous for the fact that it was here that the first street gas lamps in Madrid were lit, which were replaced with electric ones in 1878, also for the first time in Madrid. The first horse and tram routes in Madrid were laid here, and finally, one of the first metro stations appeared here in 1919 (!).

The square went through two major reconstructions: in 1860-1868, when all the old houses were demolished and new ones were built that are still standing, and also in 1984-1986, when the square acquired its current appearance.

Concluding the story about Puerta del Sol, we can also say that it is favorite place evening walks of Madrid residents and numerous tourists. We observed a lot of different kinds of youth parties there. The square is very beautiful in the evening; the buildings are illuminated by about 300 spotlights. Three central streets of Madrid converge on the square: Calle Mayor (“Main”), Calle Alcala and Calle San Jeronimo, along which we came here. In addition, seven more fishing rods and alleys open onto the square. All these streets and streets are densely dotted with numerous shops, cafes, bars, restaurants of a wide variety of types, sizes and categories,

The Gate of the Sun Square Puerta del Sol Madrid, here is a bear reaching for the fruits of a strawberry tree, a symbol of the capital of Spain, adorning the city coat of arms of Madrid since the 12th century.

There are several versions explaining the origin of this composition, we think the most plausible is the following: it symbolized the surrounding forests, where many species of animals were found, even bears, as magnificent royal hunting grounds, which the Catholic Church allowed to be used for hunting.

The medieval fortified cities, which Madrid was originally, were not distinguished by their large size, as well as by the convenience, width, beauty of the streets, for a simple reason, their founders tried in every possible way to reduce, minimize the useful living space, and strengthen the defensive power of the fortress walls. After all, to protect a smaller territory, fewer troops are required that can effectively repel frequent enemy attacks. Narrow fortress streets, intended primarily for the movement of garrison residents, were made as narrow as possible in order to make it difficult for the enemy to advance along them in the event of a possible breakthrough of the siege; accordingly, it was extremely inconvenient for horsemen or carts to move along them.

Medieval Madrid had central part, where the church was located, in front of which there was the only spacious city square. The main fortress gate, called the Gate of the Sun, was decorated with an image of a celestial body. In front of the gate, inside the fortress, there was a vast empty space where military formations were formed; also, while repelling attacks, the enemy often breaking through the fortress gates found himself in a closed open space, where, having come under crossfire, unable to take cover, he was quickly destroyed.

The function of such an empty space was once performed by the medieval Puerta del Sol, being a place that preserves the historical memory of old Madrid, a former Arab fortress that became the center of the socio-political life of Madrid, the capital of Spain. The period when its historical description began dates back to the 16th century, after the first romantic visits to Madrid, the future capital of Spain, by royal motorcades.
The Gate of the Sun Square has always been the center of political events, popular uprisings, demonstrations, and played a vital role during the war against the French invaders in 1808, before the proclamation of the Second Republic in 1931. The famous Spanish journalist, public figure of the 19th century, Ángel Fernández de los Ríos (1821-1880 ), wrote: “there is not a single spot on this earth that is not watered with the blood of patriots, rebels or revolutionaries.”

Many foreign travelers, writers, journalists, having visited Madrid, main square The Gate of the Sun, delighted with its atmosphere, published their reports, among them: German traveler Christian August Fischer (1797), French reporter Théophile Gautier (1843), Italian writer Edmundo de Amicis (1883).

Traditionally, Puerta del Sol is the most popular place meetings of Madrid residents. Here, every year, during the New Year's chime of the country's main chimes, on the building of the former Post Office (the current city hall), the main New Year's sacrament of the Spaniards takes place: making wishes before eating twelve New Year's grapes.

From an architectural point of view, after the mid-19th century, Puerta del Sol is a wide, semicircular, oblong square, the junction point of ten city streets: Alcalá, Arenal, Carrera de San Jerónimo, Calle Espoz y Mina, las Carretas, Correos, Calle Mayor, Preciados , Calle del Carmen, Montera. It was sung at their literary evenings in local cafes by famous writers of 19th century Spain, Lope de Vega, Ramon Gomez de la Serna. Over the centuries-old history, several important city objects were erected and then destroyed here; the only relatively ancient one (1766-1768) that has survived is the Post Office building (Casa de Correos), which was formerly the Ministry of the Interior, now the City Hall of Madrid. Another oldest architectural landmark is the Cordero House (Casa Cordero), owned by the influential Madrid capitalist Santiago Alonso Cordero; the building also changed its purpose several times.

Transformations

Puerta del Sol is still a hotbed of political events taking place in , but on May 15, 2011, again, it became the site of a series of strikes, riots, and protests against the Spanish political system, then swept across the country, to cities such as Palma de Mallorca.

As before, the Gate of the Sun Square is one of the main attractions of Madrid, attracting thousands of citizens and guests of the capital every day. Millions of tourists have already stepped on the bronze plate laid in the pavement in the Plaza de Sol, symbolizing the “zero kilometer” of Spain, from which, geographically, all Spanish road distances are taken.
Everyone goes through it excursion routes, participants of multi-day excursions

Puerta del Sol is the central square of Madrid. There is a “zero point” on it - the place from which the counting of road distances in Spain begins, and there is also a sculpture “The Bear and the Strawberry Tree” - a symbol of the capital.

Now this semicircular square, where three main Madrid streets (Mayor, Alcala, San Jeronimo) and several other small streets converge, is one of the main nodes public transport in the city.

On the square itself and the streets adjacent to it, there are many shops and souvenir stalls, restaurants and cafes, food stalls with traditional Spanish delicacies. This favorite place walks of tourists and local residents. In the evenings, 300 floodlights turn on here, making Puerta del Sol especially beautiful.

Attractions

Zero point

Zero point plate (photo: Adam Groffman)

For a long time, Puerta del Sol was considered the geographical center of Spain. There is the famous “zero point” here - the place from which all roads in Spain begin - “kilómetro cero”. The zero point is this bronze plate with the inscription “Km 0”, which is walled up in the pavement of the former “House of Post Office” (Real Casa de Correos), which once housed the main post office of Madrid. They say that when you reach this “zero point”, you should make a wish – it will certainly come true!

The building of the former Post Office with a clock

A tower with a ball was built over the grandiose building of the former Post Office (built in 1761), where the Government of the Autonomous Region of Madrid is now located. On it hangs an ancient clock that previously belonged to the Buen Suceso Church. They mean no less to the Spaniards than to the residents of Russia - the Kremlin chimes. This is the main clock in Spain - it announces the arrival of the New Year.

Statue of King Carlos III

In the center of the square is a bronze equestrian statue of King Carlos III. This nine-meter monument was installed here in 1994.

Another monument in Puerta del Sol - the Bear with the Strawberry Tree (madroño) - appeared in the 11th century. There is no exact information about the origin of the statue. It is believed that the bear symbolizes the mountains, and the tree represents the pastures. Now this image has become the official symbol of Madrid, decorates its coat of arms and is used in many souvenirs. The place near this monument has become traditional for lovers to meet.

Gas lamps were lit for the first time in Madrid in 1830 in this square. They were replaced by electric ones in 1878. The first horse-drawn and tram routes were also laid through the square, and here, in 1919, the first metro station, Sol, opened.

Historical events

Protesters at Puerta del Sol, May 2011 (photo: Julio Albarrán)

Puerta del Sol has seen many turmoil in its lifetime. In 1808, it was here that the uprising against Napoleon broke out and the First Spanish Revolution began. The Cadiz Constitution of 1812 was solemnly proclaimed in the square, which was solemnly burned here in 1814. And in 1931, on April 14, from the balcony of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which was then located in the “House of Post Office”, the proclamation of the Spanish Republic was announced (it fell in 1939).

And this one saw many more historically significant moments. ancient square. Is on it Memorial plaque, installed in honor of the tragic event - the terrorist attack of 2004, the most barbaric in Spanish history (192 people died from explosions in trains).

Puerta del Sol has been rebuilt several times. From 1860 to 1868 The old buildings were demolished and the houses that still stand on the square were rebuilt. The square acquired its current, finished appearance after reconstruction in 1984-1986.

How to get to Puerta del Sol?

Take metro lines 1, 2, 3 or train C-3, C-4 to Puerta del Sol station.
You can also get to the square by bus 3, N16, N26, get off at the stop
Pta. del Sol - Carretas or by bus 51, stop - Alcala - Pta. del Sol.

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