At Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, which clock’s chimes mark the New Year’s Eve midnight grape tradition?

The Real Casa de Correos clock’s chimes mark the New Year’s Eve grape tradition at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol.

The Real Casa de Correos is a historic building on the square and serves as the seat of the President of the Community of Madrid. Its clock tower became nationally famous because television broadcasts use its midnight chimes to guide the eating of Spain’s 12 grapes.

Before midnight, the clock’s quarter-hour signals help prepare the crowd, while the twelve main chimes mark the moment when celebrants eat one grape per stroke. The event is broadcast across Spain, making the building’s clock one of the country’s most recognizable New Year symbols.

The building dates from the 18th century and has served several governmental and administrative purposes. The grape custom is national, but Madrid’s Puerta del Sol ceremony functions as the central public reference point. This is why the clock is often confused with other famous Madrid landmarks.