The most famous mission in all of Texas, and the world for that matter, is San Antonio de Valero founded in 1718 on the San Antonio River. You undoubtedly know it as the Alamo. In the movies, the mission is shown out in the middle of the desert. In 1735, Santa Anna's army of about 15,000 surrounded the Alamo where Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and a band of about 100 revolutionaries under William Travis were trying to establish what was, at first, the country then later the state of Texas. Today, the Alamo is just a few steps from the Riverwalk right in the center of the city.
But wait, as they say, there's more. Visit the Alamo and we'll include four more missions at no additional charge: San Jose, Espada, Concepcion and San Juan. In the early 1700s, they were spaced about a day's walk apart along the river. Their dual purpose was to spread the Catholic faith and to serve as a buffer against French encroachments from Louisiana. Mission Indians were taught cloth weaving, blacksmithing, carpentry, masonry, and stonecutting. The mission walls also helped protect the Coahuiltecans (kwa-weel-tekans) from their more warlike Apache and Comanche neighbors. Today, even in San Antonio traffic, they are just minutes from downtown.
Mission San Antonio de Valero--the Alamo
The gardens inside the walls
The monument in the plaza out front
The sign for the Crockett Hotel rises behind the Alamo
Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo founded in 1720
The missions are still active parishes 300 years later.
Details around the Rose Window illustrate the skill of Spanish and Indian artisans
Scaffolding on the left shows the ongoing restoration and preservation efforts at the missions
San Francisco de la Espada is the only one made of bricks.
Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepcion
Mission San Juan Capistrano
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