Before Texas was American or even "Texan", it was a Spanish territory. Before the English-speaking settlers started to arrive, the foreign influence in what is today Texas was Spanish - and then Mexican. The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park preserves some of this old Texan history in San Antonio. See here for ten other things to do while in San Antonio.

The Missions were built as refugees for the local native Indians. They sought to convert them to Catholicism and to teach them to become Spanish citizens. The missions are all located in San Antonio (some are downtown) and really should be on anyone's bucket list of things to see and do there.

About The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

There were five former Spanish frontier missions in San Antonio and the park preserves four of them (the fifth one is extra special - it's the Alamo). They were established by Catholic religious orders in order to spread Catholicism and Spanish ideas in the frontier regions. They were the extreme frontier of a Spanish colonization system that was spread throughout the Spanish Americas.

The missions are Mission Concepción, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. The Espada Aqueduct is also part of the Park.

  • Designed: UNESCO World Heritage Site (Together With The Alamo Mission)

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The missions are walled compounds that encompass a church and buildings - where the Catholic priests and the local Native Americans lived. They form the largest concentration of Spanish colonial missions in North America.

  • Cost Of Admission: $0.00 Admission To The San Antonio Missions Is Free
  • Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (Contact Stations and Visitor Center)
  • Closed: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day

Mission San José

Mission San Jose is considered the Queen of the Missions and is the largest mission in San Antonio (its full name is San José y San Miguel de Aguayo). It was built using Texas limestone and brightly colored stucco. In its heyday, it provided sanctuary for over 300 Indians. It was renovated in 2011 to refurbish the interior domes, walls, and the altar's backdrop.

  • Established: In 1720

The first buildings were made of brush, straw, and mud. But these were quickly replaced with large stone buildings. The church that is seen standing today was build in 1768.

Mission Concepción

Its full name is Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purisima Concepción de Acuña. It is today the oldest unrestored stone church in the United States. That means that the exterior paintings have now faded. Inside one can still see the original frescos inside the church.

  • Established: In: 1755
  • Order: Franciscan Friars

The friars that formed this Mission were from an earlier mission that had been founded in East Texas in 1711. During the war in 1835 for Texan independence, the Battle of Concepcion was fought here - it was the first major engagement of the Texas Revolution. Today Catholic Mass is still held every Sunday.

  • Fun Fact: The Full Original Name For Buenos Aires Was "Ciudad de la Santísima Trinidad y Puerto de Santa María del Buen Aire" - There Were Other Long Spanish Names!

Mission San Juan Capistrano

In its day the surrounding fertile farmlands enabled San Juan to be a self-sustainable community. It was also able to help supply the region with its surplus. Listen carefully when visiting San Antonio as one may just hear the church bell still chime. Today both the chapel and the bell tower remain in use.

  • Established: In 1731

Mission Espada

This is the southernmost mission of the park. In 1826 many of the mission buildings were destroyed in a fire. Afterward, only the chapel, granary, and two of the compound walls remained. Part of the original irrigation system remains preserved and still operates the Espada aqueduct and dam.

Go there on the first Saturday of the month and enjoy a guided tour of the property (one can have a self-guided tour anytime during park hours).

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  • Established: In 1731

Mission San Antonio de Valero (aka. the Alamo)

While not one of the park's missions, the Alamo is without a doubt the most famous of the historic Spanish missions of San Antonio. It was the famous site of the fierce battle between the Texans and the Mexican forces in 1836. This is one of the "must-see" attractions in San Antonio - see here for what to know about visiting the Alamo.

  • Established: In 1718
  • Note: The Alamo Is Small And Nothing Like How It Is Shown in Movies Like John Wayne's 1960 Movie The Alamo

While many people want to visit the Alamo for the infamous battle, these missions have much older importance to Texan history (they there already historic by that time).

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