one of the main thoroughfares of Madrid. It originates at the eastern edge of the Puerta del Sol (the focal point and principal square of the city) and runs northeast approximately 4 mi (6 km) through the Plaza de la Independencia and the Puerta de Alcalá (a gateway originally built in 1599 and rebuilt in 1778). A broad, tree-lined avenue, it contains government offices and banks and is the location of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (an academy of art and music, founded in 1752). Along the western end of the avenue and especially around the Puerto del Sol are many shops and department stores.