Crowds gather at Madrid's Puerta del Sol to eat 12 grapes during Spain's New Year's Eve countdown.
Puerta del Sol is a historic public square in central Madrid and the location of the clock whose midnight chimes guide the twelve-grape ritual. People eat one grape with each of the twelve main chimes, linking the fruit to luck for the twelve months ahead. The event is also broadcast throughout Spain, so viewers at home follow the same clock.
The square contains the famous Kilometer Zero plaque, used as the traditional reference point for measuring distances along Spain's radial roads. It also features the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, a symbol associated with Madrid.
The small quarter-chimes before the main sequence can confuse first-time viewers. Participants are expected to wait for the twelve principal chimes, not begin eating during the preliminary sounds. Puerta del Sol is therefore both a geographic landmark and the national stage for a highly timed New Year's custom.