In 1759 Charles III arrived triumphantly from Naples in Madrid to ascend the throne. He entered the city through the old Puerta de Alcalá determined to revamp the entire city. Starting from here he commissioned a new monumental arch, which was adapted to the neoclassical style of the time. The project was bold; In fact, it would be the first triumphal arch built in Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire. The Italian Francesco Sabatini was placed in charge and construction took place between the years 1769 and 1778. It seems that the architect had a hard time making up his mind about the design, so he created a structure that combined his plan A and B with each facade featuring a different design! Among the sculptures that decorate the archway, the empty armours stand out; they are symbols of peace foregrounding the evocative nature of the site. The side oriented towards the inner city bears sculptures that represent military trophies, while its arches bear lions. The other one is decorated with the royal coats of arms and the statue of Fame.