Which famous clock tower broadcasts Spain’s New Year’s Eve midnight chimes from Madrid?

Madrid’s Puerta del Sol clock broadcasts Spain’s famous New Year’s Eve midnight chimes.

The clock is mounted on the Real Casa de Correos, the historic building that faces the square. Its chimes are transmitted nationally, and crowds gather in Puerta del Sol to follow the countdown and eat twelve grapes, one for each stroke.

The square’s name means “Gate of the Sun.” It stands at the center of Madrid and is associated with the city’s kilometer-zero marker for Spain’s radial road network. The clock became especially important to New Year celebrations because its visible and audible signals coordinate the grape tradition across the country.

The quarter-hour sounds before midnight are not the twelve grape chimes themselves. Viewers wait for the sequence of midnight strokes, often preceded by warning sounds, then try to eat one grape per chime. This distinction explains why broadcasts carefully show the clock and synchronize the celebration.