All about Madrid’s Zero Point
There is a small stone slab in the main square of Madrid that marks the geographical center of Spain. This stone marker marks the zero kilometer point. That is, the point from which all distances in Spain are measured. This point is specifically the starting point and the standard for measuring the distances of the six national roads of the country, from A-1 to A-6. Kilometer zero or Madrid’s zero point is also the starting point for the numbering of the streets of the Spanish capital. That is, the closer the street is to the zero point mark, the lower the street number. To see Madrid’s zero point, you can join the Spain Tour and Madrid Tour.
Location of Madrid’s zero point
Madrid’s zero point is located in the historic and semi-circular square in the center of the city, the Puerta del Sol, which means Gate of the Sun. It’s easy to miss this very small stone! Because it is located on a plot of land outside the clock tower and next to the old post office building. An old clock that some believe used to show the official time in Spain. The stone plaque was placed in its original location in 1950 and was replaced with a newer one in 2002 and 2009. The stone was accidentally rotated 180 degrees in 2002 during the renovation of the Gate of the Sun Square. However, in 2009, during road construction, it was replaced again, this time in its original position.
Where did the idea for Madrid’s zero point come from?
These traditional markers are common in many countries and are often located in capital cities. Traditionally, these zero points were also used to measure driving distances in guidebooks, i.e. as the point where drivers would mark their odometers at zero. The most famous and oldest zero point marker in the world is the Golden Mile (Milliarium Aureum) in ancient Rome. The construction of the Golden Mile zero point dates back to the time of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Some believe that the zero point in ancient Rome could also be the source of the proverb “All roads lead to Rome”, and the idea of Madrid’s zero point also originates from the ancient Roman Empire.
History of Madrid’s zero point
Now let’s move on to Spain. At the beginning of the 18th century, during the reign of Philip V, six roads were built in Spain, all of which originated in the city of Madrid, and there were landmarks to indicate their distance from the starting point or zero. At that time, the league unit was used to measure distance on roads. So perhaps we could speak of the zero point of the league instead of the zero point of the kilometer. Shortly afterwards, during the reign of Carlos III, a king with a great interest in classical culture, the Casa de Correos post office building was built, and Madrid’s zero point was placed right in front of it, as it was the ideal way to organize the postal system in the vast Spanish Empire.
Information about Puerta del Sol Square
The Puerta del Sol Square was built in various stages and was one of the main entrances to Madrid during the 15th century. Three centuries later, in the mid-18th century, the Casa de Correos post office was built there. Finally, between 1857 and 1862, the architects Lucio del Valle, Juan Rivera and José Maurer gave it its current form. In the 20th century, a fountain was placed in the center of the square and part of it was turned into a sidewalk.
This square is home to three of Madrid’s most recognizable symbols. One is the statue of a bear and a strawberry tree, which is the official emblem of the city of Madrid. This statue was built in 1967 and is a meeting place for locals and tourists. The other is the Post Office, whose famous clock has marked the time of the ancient tradition of eating twelve grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve since 1962. The third is Madrid’s Zero Point, which is located on the pavement in front of the old Post Office. This square has been the site of several important historical events, such as the proclamation of the Second Republic in 1931 and the massive pro-democracy demonstrations in Spain in 2011.
Summary
One of the main tourist destinations in Spain is Madrid’s Zero Point, which served as an old-fashioned GPS, guiding people to their destinations. Who knows, maybe all roads will eventually end in Madrid!
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