Puerta Real

The Puerta de Alcalá is a magnificent monumental gate in the heart of Madrid, connecting the Plaza de la Independencia with Retiro Park. Built on the orders of King Charles III, it replaced a crumbling earlier arch in 1778. The design is by Francesco Sabatini, who drew on plans by Ventura Rodríguez. The granite and limestone monument has five passageways and is richly decorated, with lion heads and a royal coat of arms, among other details. Here you can admire the historic architecture and look for the bullet holes from 1823 that are still visible. As a former city boundary point, it marks the start of the road to Alcalá de Henares.