Crowds traditionally hear Spain’s twelve New Year’s Eve chimes at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol.
The Puerta del Sol is a central square in Madrid and the location of the clock on the Real Casa de Correos. On New Year’s Eve, its midnight chimes are broadcast nationwide, and people eat one grape with each of the twelve main chimes. The square therefore serves as the symbolic center of Spain’s national countdown.
The clock’s televised chimes are watched by people throughout Spain, not only by those physically present in Madrid. Large crowds gather in the square when access is permitted, while many families follow the ritual from home with prepared grapes and sparkling wine.
Madrid has other famous landmarks, including the Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace, but they are not the traditional source of the nationally recognized New Year’s Eve chimes. The Puerta del Sol’s role comes from its prominent clock and central civic setting.