La Puerta del Sol It is without a doubt, one of the most famous squares in Madrid. In it we find some of the most recognized points and buildings in the city. There is no consensus on the origin of the name, one of the theories dates back to the year 1520 when the Junta of Madrid met to organize the uprising against the king. Carlos I (born in Ghent, Flanders in 1500), rebellion carried out in Madrid by the commoners of Castile, under the command of Zapata.

The commoners had spread their rebellion throughout the different territories of Castile against what they called the "foreign king", and the population of Madrid defended themselves from the imperial troops by building fortifications. They built a fortification with a door facing east, the place where the sun rises: La Puerta del Sol.

Another theory about the origin of the name mentions how an anonymous painter made a painting or relief of a sun on one of the gates of the wall, giving rise to the current name over the years.

Its construction was carried out in several stages; The oldest surviving building is the Post House. Construction began in the mid-1857th century and a century later, between 1862 and XNUMX, it took its final form thanks to the architects Pike of the Valley, Juan Rivera y Jose Morer. During the 20th century it underwent numerous renovations.

In Puerta del Sol we find several well-known elements:

Statue of the Bear and the Madroño: symbol statue of Madrid. It was built in 1967 and is one of the most popular meeting points.
El Post Office Clock: Known throughout Spain for being the place from which the New Year's chimes have been emitted since 1962. Thousands of people gather at Puerta del Sol every year to drink the twelve grapes and celebrate the arrival of the new year.
Kilometer Zero: point where the Spanish radial roads begin. There is a commemorative plaque and one of the places most photographed by tourists.

The announcement of Tio Pepe, a great advertisement that has recently changed location and once again crowns the square.

Puerta del Sol has also experienced some important events, among which the popular uprising of May 2, 1808 against the French troops stands out. This event was represented by the Aragonese painter Francisco de Goya and Lucientes in a painting called The Charge of the Mamelukes at Puerta del Sol. The painting, painted in 1814, is currently in the Museo del Prado, in Madrid. In the painting, Spanish insurgents attack the troops of Mamelukes (Egyptian mercenaries) fighting alongside the French army. In other works such as The Disasters of War, Goya reflected the situations of violence experienced in Puerta del Sol. This revolt in the streets of Madrid was bloodily crushed by the immediate shooting of the suspects the next day, in the fields of Atocha and Church of Good Success. In memory of that popular uprising there is a commemorative plaque on the façade of the Post Office building. This plaque reads: “To the popular heroes who on May 2, 1808 fought in this same place in the first combat with the troops of Napoleon .

The proclamation of the Second Republic in 1931. Today it continues to be the scene of all kinds of events, it was the epicenter of 15-M and the place chosen to end many demonstrations.

A abrazo.