A visit to Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor in Madrid: Thriving squares

Save a bunch of people here and there, at first the cobblestoned road in Madrid is quiet. Around me are buildings— some residential, some offices. As I keep walking, I feel human noise amplifying. Street artists perform illusive stunts; inside makeshift white tents, flea markets are abuzz. The street is not so quiet anymore. Finally, the road opens to a square, cluttered with a crowd of leisure seekers and overlooked by a bell tower with a ticking clock. This is Puerta del Sol, the literal centre of Madrid as well as Spain.

Puerta del Sol facts that attract

Puerta del Sol which means “the gate of the Sun” served as one of the 15^th century gates to Madrid city. Nowadays, it is a touristy public square— a merrymaking venue with several restaurants, pubs, shops, fountains and sculptures, but the most imposing of them all is the old post office building with this clock tower. The 18^th century building by French architect Jacques Marquet in the south of the square is now used as the office of the president of Madrid.

Later in the afternoon, while sipping on some Spanish wine on a rooftop restaurant in Puerta del Sol, Beatriz, my guide speaks at length about the ritual of ‘twelve grapes’. In 1866, when Queen Isabella II had installed the clock on the building, she was hardly aware of the yearly cult that would grow around it. Every year, on the night of 31^st December when the clock strikes 12, one grape is eaten with each strike of the year’s last 12 rings of the bell.

The tradition developed sometimes around late 19^th or early 20^th century and still lives today. Nowadays not everyone eats grapes, but the square still sees a huge gathering and celebrations every 31^st December. The festivities are broadcasted live on Spanish TV.

But this is just one-half of the reason why Puerta del Sol is famous, the other half being the plaque pasted on the ground which denotes “Kilometre Zero”. It is a point from where distances of radial roads are measured— that is if anyone tries to calculate the distance between Lisbon and Madrid, this plaque would be treated as ‘Madrid ground zero’.

I come across a very intricate fountain in a photo on a wall here that claims to represent Puerta del Sol of older times. In 1618, Italian Rutilio Gaci designed this fountain, which is known as the Fountain of the Harpies. An Italian statue of a female figure called Mariblanca crowned this fountain. The Fountain of Harpies was dismantled about a century later and replaced by another one designed by Pedro de Ribera(the same architect who redesigned Santona Palace), however Mariblanca survived the turns of times and rests in Casa de la Villa these days.

The two new, simpler fountains here are ringed by leisurely people, casually seated, catching up with each other. Between the two fountains is a bronze statue of King Charles III of Spain on a horse. On the eastern side of the square is a stone and bronze statue of a bear clawing up on a strawberry tree. Installed in 1967, made by sculptor Antonio Navarro Santafe, the statue weighs 22 tons and is 13 feet in height. It is a sculptural depiction of Madrid’s Coat of Arms.

Now that I am convinced that I have explored most of the historical-touristic attractions here, I set off on a walk again, this time to discover the charm of another popular Madrid square—Plaza Mayor. Enroute, I take three long breaks, one at Palacio Real de Madrid, another to fulfil my hot chocolate and churro craving at Café de Oriente and a third stop at Mercado San Miguel (Market San Miguel).

Gastronomic affair at Mercado San Miguel

In the Indian context, this market can be defined as a selection of curated street-food joints rolled into one covered area. Mercado San Miguel is one of the most crowded places that I have been to in Madrid. It is a rectangular building with glass walls, placed in the centre of a city square selling a large variety of tapas sized food items from its numerous booths. Originally built in 1916, it was completely renovated in 2009 in its modern avatar with iron beams, a decorative façade and themed interiors.

A mélange of aroma hits my nostrils the moment I push open its doors. The budget gourmet market happens to have all kinds of Spanish food and drinks. “Tapas €1” is pasted on almost all counters. Meats, sausages, and various other food with Spanish names line the counters. I see sushi and sashimi too. At the cocktail counters, bartenders clink glasses. Fresh fruits bedeck shelves of some booths. The unique character of this market latch with me long after I leave the place.

Plaza Mayor Madrid facts that attract

By the time I reach Plaza Mayor, it is already dark, but that hasn’t dampened the spirit of the square at all. Street lamps light up the square surrounded by four storeyed buildings. In their ground floor, shops go about their usual business. The outdoor seats of the cafés are occupied by tourists and locals having a good time. The square has come a long way from its 15^th century origins when it was a venue to host a myriad collection of activities—markets, bullfights and public executions.

Developed in 1619 under King Philip III’s rule, Plaza Mayor is rectangular, 423 feet long and 308 feet wide. The plaza had been ravaged by fire three times, in 1631, 1670 and 1790. The public square has ten gates, three each in the north, south, east and only one in the west. With their 237 balconies, the buildings that surround the plaza are some of the most expensive real estate in Madrid. Since many years, the entry of vehicles here has been banned.

I click myself some quick photos in front of the bronze equestrian sculpture of King Philip III installed in the centre of Plaza Mayor just before it starts to rain. Cooped under the portico of the building, my guide recaps how the royal head and religious head seated themselves facing each other on the topmost balcony of the north and south wing of the building during public ceremonies. The wealthiest of the kingdom lived in these buildings and even they were bound to vacate it on special ceremonial days to make space for the royal entourage.

Interestingly, I find metal plaques engraved at the entrance of some of the old shops. I spend most of my time roaming around a large hat shop established in 1894, and a tapas bar La Torre del Oro whose décor relates to the sport of bull fighting. Plaza Mayor hosts Christmas markets during December, and old stamp and coin market for collectors every Sunday and holiday mornings. But it is neither Sunday nor holiday or morning or Christmas! Sigh.

As the rain gains momentum, I leave this square and head to catch Spain’s popular cultural heritage, the Flamenco dance.

Have you enjoyed reading about the facts and my experiences in Puerta del Sol, Mercado San Miguel and Plaza Mayor? Comment below and let’s talk!

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Disclaimer: Tania was hosted by Spain Tourism Board. All thoughts and opinions expressed in the post are of her own.

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