We were back to my dear Spain again !! love it !! We came by car of course and took time to see new areas and old repeat with some of them as introduction to my sons and our dog Rex ! I rented a small house in a off the beaten path country town that was just perfect ! I spent many childhoods days here first with my dear late mother Gladys and later bringing my family ,and my dear late wife Martine love it with me, The boys love it too, and it has become a must stop each time in Madrid, that thanks God has been many times in my life time. If you read my blog you know why. I have made several references to it in many of my previous posts on Madrid, so do search in my blog for more. From Madrid to heaven and a hole in the sky to look down on it every day. De Madrid al Cielo y un agujero en él para mirarla todos los dias. I like to continue the saga of our new road warrior experiences even if now with less in our family, This post is on my latest road warrior tour of wonderful sublime Spain. Therefore, let me tell you about the Puerta del Sol of Madrid , part II !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Puerta del Sol is one of the most famous and lively squares in Madrid. It was originally one of the gates to cross the wall that surrounded Madrid in the 15C. Its name comes from the fact that at the front of one of its buildings was once a sundial. A plaque represents the zero kilometer point (Kilómetro cero) of the Spanish roads, and represents the symbolic center of the country, from distances are measure. I spent many childhoods days here first with my dear late mother/father Gladys/Elio, and later bringing my family ,and my dear late wife Martine love it with me, especially the shopping !! The boys love it too, and it has become a must stop each time in Madrid, that thanks God has been many times in my life time. If you read my blog you know why. From Madrid to heaven and a hole in the sky to look down on it every day !. Or De Madrid al Cielo y un agujero en él para mirarla todos los dias. Enough said.
Let me tell you a bit more on the magical Puerta del Sol. An emblematic symbol of Madrid is the billboard of Tío Pepe,(sherry fame) at the beginning of Calle de Alcalá, you will find the statue of the symbol of Madrid. It was created in 1967 and is one of the most popular meeting points in Madrid. In front of the building of the old Hotel Paris (no 1, where was the panel of Tio Pepe), later transferred to the beginning of Calle Carmen and relocated in its original place in 2009. The panel of Tio Pepe located at no 1 until 2011, when it was retired, and repositioned in no, 11 in 2014.
The Puerta del Sol area corresponding to the Calle Mayor, that occupies the Casa Cordero (now gone) , on its first floor was known the Great Bazaar of the Union (Gran Bazar de la Union) (now gone) ,where objects were sold at fixed prices. This Grand Bazaar was the first large retail establishment that would lead to department stores. At the end of the 20C, establishments such as the El Corte Inglés were expanding their area of influence from the Calle Preciados to reach the lower levels of the north of the square. At the beginning of the 21C, the traditional shops that were at the Puerta del Sol have been disappearing to give way to franchises, gambling halls, fast food restaurants and other more impersonal and cold establishments. However, the centenary cafeteria-Patiseria La Mallorquina, located in the area between the Calle Mayor and Calle Arenal, just off the Puerta del Sol, and also the area where the lotteries shops traditionally are. Still preserved today are the fans and umbrellas shop Casa Diego (founded in the 18C).
I must tell you my dear mom took me as a boy to buy shoes at the old Los Guerrilleros shoes store (now gone); many fond memories here. The family best friend married the manager of the store and so on until it close (Jan 10 2015). Founded here in 1962. We later last 2019 came to shop at a new shoes store there Zapshop! The 10 streets that come out of the Puerta del Sol in clockwise direction from the Calle de Alcalà are Calle de Alcalá, Carrera de San Jerónimo, Calle Espoz y Mina, Calle de las Carretas, Calle del Correo, Calle Mayor, Calle del Arenal, Calle de Preciados, Calle del Carmen, and Calle de la Montera. The transports here is very good with metro Sol lines 1, and 2. Also local trains Cercanias C-3 and C-4. The station has been converted by its dimensions in the largest in the World with 28 meters deep, 207 meters in length and 20 meters wide. Its lobby is 7500 m². The entrance to the inter connecting station, similar to an igloo, has changed the physiognomy of the Puerta del Sol again. All around heavens in Madrid!!!
This is a vast square and in the middle there is a nice equestrian statue of king Carlos III It is a bronze reproduction of Juan Pascual de Mena’s work that is preserved in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando. The spiral inscription surrounding the pedestal briefly describes the history of the reign of Carlos III. The monument is nine meters high. As a curiosity, it should be noted that an electronic device was installed in it to keep the pigeons from resting on it continually.
Some events and trivia on this very Madrileña square: The Puerta del Sol has also experienced some important events for the history of Spain, such as the proclamation of the Second Republic in 1931. Some films of note on my taste showing bits of the
Puerta del Sol were El misterio de la Puerta del Sol (mystery of the gate of the sun), by Francisco Elías Riquelme in 1929, considered as the first movie with sound of Spanish cinema. Km. 0, a light comedy of love, intrigues and Spanish erotism from 2000. The main line of the story is the Madroño symbol of Madrid at the Puerta del Sol. In theater you have the play
La Celosa (jealous one) of famous Tirso de Molina. Also a Spanish operetta or very Spanish call Zarzuelas, this one
El último tranvía (the last tramway) by Ricardo Blasco. In Literature, we have Luces de Bohemia (lights of Bohemia) from 1924 of Valle Inclán. The novel by Benito Pérez Galdós, Fortunata y Jacinta of 1886-87, the main carácter Juanito Santacruz lived at the Puerta del Sol and it recounts stories of the Gran Bazar de la Union. The dramaturges Jerónimo López Mozo in his work of
El arquitecto y el relojero (the architect and the watchmaker) from 2000 has a story on the Casa de Correos house as well as the surrounding áreas of the Puerta del Sol. Also, the La conquista de la Puerta del Sol (conquest of the gate to the sun) by Emilio Carrere. In music, the scene given on the song Un Ano Màs (one more year) by Mecano. And finally, on my favorites is the painting of the Charge of the Mamalukes or La Carga de los Mamelucos (or 2 de Mayo 1808) by Francisco de Goya.
A bit of history I like tell us that the Puerta del Sol was in its origins one of the accesses of the ramparts that surrounded
Madrid in the 15C. This wall gathered in its perimeter the medieval suburbs that had grown outside the walls, around the Christian wall of the 12C. The name of the gate comes from a sun that adorned the entrance, placed there to be facing the gate to the Levant. Among the buildings that gave it prestige in the beginnings was the Church del Buen Suceso and Church of San Felipe el Real (both now gone). The Puerta del Sol is surrounded by fourteen buildings. From the same time dates the measurement of 635.50 meters above the average sea level of Alicante. In 1986 a new reform came that gave more importance to the pedestrian zone. The streetlights installed on the occasion of this remodeling, were popularly nicknamed as the suppositories and provoked a great controversy due to its modern design. Finally they were replaced by the current style lanterns fernandians or Fernandino, although in the two central posts of the square the suppositories survived some years more, to be unified a few years later with those of the rest of the square. In the 19C, the Puerta del Sol was totally transformed, and it is between 1857 and 1862, after the demolition of a certain buildings, which adopts the current appearance . It was the seat of many historical events such as:
The mutiny of Esquilache, in 1766. Resistance against Napoleon’s troops on May 2, 1808. In 1812 the proclamation of the constitution of 1812 (Cadiz). The proclamation of Fernando VII as king in 1812. In 1861 attack against Queen Isabel II. April 14, 1931. Proclamation of the Second Republic.
The Madrid tourist office on the Puerta de Sol : https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/puerta-del-sol
The Comunidad de Madrid region tourist office on the Puerta del Sol: https://www.visitmadrid.es/en/places-to-visit-in-madrid/madrid-the-capital-of-spain/puerta-sol-madrids-iconic-kilometer-zero-for
There you go folks , another wonderful nostalgic, sentimental trip to my dear Spain, A love affairs with my Madrid, as do not know when we will be back, we sure will have this trip in our hearts forever, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Puerta del Sol of Madrid , part II !!! as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 