The Puerta de Alcalá Gate is a classical building standing in the center of the roundabout at the Independence Square (Spanish: Plaza de la Independencia) in Madrid. It is the former eastern city gate, which had to be crossed in order to get onto the road leading to the town of Alcalá de Henares, hence its name. The gate was built in the 18th century, when the population of Madrid grew rapidly. It gave rise to the need of building new city walls with a greater circumference. The gate was designed by Francesco Sabatini at the behest of the Spanish King Charles III. It was built on a grand scale, consists of five passages and the whole structure is crowned by marble statues.