If you look to the "flat" south side of the semi circle you will see a clock tower, part of a building known as the "Real Casa de Correos". This was originally built in the 18th century as part of the Post Office, and now functions as the headquarters of the President of Madrid's Autonomous Community. It was reputedly named for a gate that stood there until 1510 and had on its front a representation of the sun . Throughout Madrid’s history the square has been the focal point of transportation and of intellectual and economic activity. It was the first part of the city to be equipped with modern conveniences and is the site of a New Year’s celebration similar to that of St. Mark’s Square, Venice.
Like many medieval towns in the 15th century, Madrid was surrounded by a protective wall and Puerta del Sol was once the entrance to Madrid. Through the gate passed traders and visitors from all over the known world. It gradually grew to an important meeting place for important merchants and politicians. The gatehouse is long gone and the area was turned into a square in the late 19th century. A more recent addition to Puerta del Sol is the very modern SOL metro station in front of the statue of Carlos III.
In Madrid’s medieval days, the Puerta del Sol was the site of the walled city’s eastern gate. Each morning, the sunrise crowned the gate until it became known as the Puerta del Sol, one of Spain’s most recognisable meeting points. As the absolute centre of the city, nearly every form of transport touches Puerta del Sol. Both the Madrid Metro and Intercity trains serve the city with platforms that are always bustling with energy. The historic centre of Madrid may lie at Plaza Mayor, but the Spanish capital’s geographic centre is at another well-known square, the Puerta del Sol.
Centrally located, Madrid Motion Hostels allows for easy access to Madrid's popular retail areas and tourist attractions. It is also situated just a short walk from Puerta del Sol and Gran Via, and offers a convenient shuttle service. Puerta del Sol is a great place to meet up with your friends and catch up while relaxing in the square as you people watch. It’s also ideally located in the central part of Madrid so there are many other sites and locations that you can visit that are close in proximity to this plaza. Puerta del Sol actually means “Gate of the Sun” and got its name from being one of the gates of the city walls that surrounded the old city of Madrid during the 5th century. Every morning the rising sun would shine brightly on and through the east gate of the square and hence having been given the name Gate of the Sun or Puerta del Sol.
The end result was that the Church took control of the pastures, while the forest and hunting grounds were to be owned by the council. Set in the heart of the city, AbraCadabra Suites offers easy access to Madrid's main shopping and sightseeing areas. It is situated a short walk from the Gate of Toledo, Almudena Cathedral and Royal Palace of Madrid. The large equestrian statue of King Carlos III is located in the middle of Puerta del Sol and was installed in the square in 1997.
Also on the east side lies the statue of The Bear and the Strawberry Tree (in Spanish, el Oso y el Madroño), the heraldic symbol of Madrid. Until 2009, the statue stood on the north side at the entrance to Calle del Carmen. The Mariblanca is a copy of a statue , which marks the place of a former fountain displaying that figure. Puerta del Sol is home to many famous statues, the most important of which is El Oso y El Madrono, or the “Bear and the Strawberry Tree.” This statue is located at the east end of the square below the famous Tio Pepe advert. For many years now the Bear and the Strawberry Tree has been the unofficial symbol of Madrid.
Centrally located, Petit Palace Tres Cruces offers easy access to Madrid's popular tourist and retail hot spots. Just a short stroll from Gran Via, it provides modern rooms equipped with bottled water, a mini bar and a flat-screen TV. Situated in Madrid City Centre, Safestay Madrid is a short stroll to several local tourist attractions, including Plaza del Dos de Mayo. In La Puerta del Sol, the so-called Kilometer Zero of the country’s radial roads has been located since 1950. The clock is the famous clock all Spaniards turn their eyes to on New Year's Eve, guzzling down a grape to each of it's twelve chimes at midnight. Millions watch on TV and what sometimes seems like millions more brave the cold here in the square.
If you want to stay right in the square itself, check out Apartamentos en Sol, some self-catering apartments whose address is Puerta del Sol 3. The square is actually almost semi-circular in shape and owes its current form to the major renovation work carried out between 1854 and 1860. In 1939, in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, military dictator Francisco Franco vlogs added a sixth major radial road connecting Madrid and his homeland Galicia. The House of the Post Office was built by French architect Jacques Marquet between 1766 and 1768. The building was the headquarters of the Ministry of Interior and State Security in Francoist Spain.