Crowds gather at Madrid's Puerta del Sol to hear the midnight clock chimes on New Year's Eve.
The square is home to the clock on the former Royal House of the Post Office, whose chimes are broadcast across Spain. People traditionally eat twelve grapes, one with each chime, in the custom known as las doce uvas de la suerte. The square's clock therefore serves both as a public timekeeper and as the center of a national ritual.
Television coverage has made the Puerta del Sol countdown familiar far beyond Madrid. Many people celebrate at home while watching the clock and preparing grapes, so the tradition is not limited to those physically in the square.
The landmark should not be confused with Madrid's Plaza Mayor, another major historic square. The New Year's Eve countdown associated with the grape ritual is specifically tied to the Puerta del Sol clock.