Puerta de Alcalá Works: When You'll Be Able to Walk Under the Arches and What to See Now
This post reflects the situation as of 14 November 2026. Things may have changed since, so please check official sources before your visit.
In 30 seconds
Not yet: as of 14 November we have found no official announcement that you can walk under the arches of the Puerta de Alcalá.
When: the City Council's July update put the end of this phase in November; at the end of August it said "before the end of the year".
What you see now: work fencing down the middle of Calle de Alcalá and around the roundabout, but the monument itself is perfectly visible from the pavements.
How long: the full project, including Plaza de la Independencia, runs until the first quarter of 2027.
As guides who work in central Madrid every day, we walk past the Puerta de Alcalá almost daily, and it is one of the questions we hear most at the moment: what is all that fencing, and when will you be able to walk through the monument? Here is what is confirmed, what isn't yet, and how to make the most of your visit in the meantime.
What is being built between Cibeles and Plaza de la Independencia
The redesign of Calle de Alcalá between Cibeles and Plaza de la Independencia began in February 2026. According to the City Council, it is a €6.1 million investment and the whole project will run until the first quarter of 2027.
The headline feature is a 3.8-metre-wide central promenade along the middle of the street, leading right up to the monument so that pedestrians can once again pass beneath its arches. The plans also include 57 large new trees to restore the double row lost in the late 1960s, a wider north pavement, a segregated cycle lane on the south side, granite paving and heritage-style LED street lamps.
Since 31 August, when the lanes closed over the summer reopened, the street has had its final layout: two general traffic lanes and one bus lane in each direction. The City Council says the project has been approved by UNESCO, as the Puerta de Alcalá is part of the Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro "Landscape of Light", a World Heritage Site since 2021.
Can you walk under the Puerta de Alcalá yet?
As of today, we have no confirmation. In its July press release the City Council said the Calle de Alcalá section and the roundabout would be finished in November 2026. During a site visit at the end of August, the message was "before the end of the year". We have not found any later announcement that the pedestrian route under the arches has opened.
So if you are travelling in the coming weeks, the safest assumption is that you may not be able to walk through it yet. When it does open, the City Council will announce it in its Diario de Madrid newsroom (in Spanish), and we will update this information as soon as we know.
Plaza de la Independencia is still a building site
The works don't stop at the roundabout. At Plaza de la Independencia the plans include a new pedestrian crossing on the west side, an upgrade of the existing one on the east, restoring the garden around the monument to a late-19th-century layout, resurfacing the whole road and adding a cycle lane linking up with Calle de Serrano and the Retiro. A new lighting scheme for the monument is also being studied.
Since late August the square has had four lanes by the Retiro entrance and five elsewhere. If you are coming by taxi or car, expect a bit more traffic than usual at rush hour. On foot, follow the signed crossings, as pedestrian routes can change as the works progress.
A bit of history: Charles III and Sabatini
The Puerta de Alcalá was commissioned by King Charles III and designed by the architect Francesco Sabatini. It was built between 1769 and 1778, the year carved into the inscription at the top. It replaced an earlier, plainer gate and marked the entrance to Madrid on the road from Alcalá de Henares and Aragon.
It has five openings: three round arches in the centre and two rectangular passages at the sides. Walk round it and you'll notice that its two façades are not identical. Its restoration won a European heritage award in 2025, and the current project aims to put it back at the heart of the Landscape of Light.
The best photo spots during the works
From the north pavement of Calle de Alcalá, near Calle de Alfonso XI: you get the monument head-on with the Retiro trees behind it. The fencing sits low and is easy to crop out.
From the Retiro entrance on Plaza de la Independencia: a diagonal view with the monument framed by the square; watch out for traffic and for changes to the fencing.
From the corner of Calle de Serrano: a side-on angle that shows all five openings well.
In the late afternoon: with the sun low, the stone turns golden; after dark, the lighting hides most of the works.
With a zoom lens or your phone's zoom: closing in on the sculptures and the coat of arms at the top keeps the fencing out of shot.
How to combine it with the Retiro
The Puerta de Alcalá stands right at the gates of the Retiro, so the natural thing is to see it and then head into the park. An easy route: take the metro to Banco de España (line 2), walk up Calle de Alcalá from Cibeles to see how the works are coming along, go round Plaza de la Independencia and enter the Retiro from the square. Within a few minutes you'll reach the Great Pond, and from there you can carry on to the Crystal Palace. If you prefer to do it the other way round, Retiro metro station (line 2) is on the square itself.
For more on the park, read our guide to El Retiro Park, and if you continue down the Paseo del Prado, our tips on the Prado Museum will come in handy.
Practical tips
Don't assume you can walk under the arches until there is an official opening announcement.
Use the signed pedestrian crossings and don't cut through fenced-off areas to get closer to the monument.
If you'll be getting around the centre in December, have a look at our post on Madrid at Christmas 2026 without the crush, as Cibeles and Calle de Alcalá get very busy.
To get there, the metro (Banco de España or Retiro, line 2) is usually quicker than a taxi while the works at Independencia continue.
If you come back to Madrid in 2027, it will be worth a second look: with the promenade finished and the new trees in, the view from Cibeles will change quite a bit.
Booked a tour with us?
If you've already booked a tour with us and are wondering how the works affect the route or the meeting point, message us on WhatsApp at +34 614 500 379 and we'll sort it out. And if you'd like to discover the Puerta de Alcalá and the city's other key monuments with a local guide, take a look at our Famous Landmarks Walking Tour.
Sources: Madrid City Council, Diario de Madrid (15 July 2026); Gacetín Madrid (30 August 2026); Vida de Madrid (1 September 2026); Madridinforma (17 July 2026). Checked on 14 November 2026.
Cover photo: Lianhao Qu on Unsplash
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