Visiting the San Antonio Missions

When visiting San Antonio, experience some of the area’s history at San Antonio Mission Trail. In 1718 Franciscans and Spaniards built the first mission in the area that would become San Antonio. Over the next 13 years, five missions were created along the San Antonio River. The missions served as a place to Christianize the native people and make them Spanish citizens.

^{Mission Concepcion – Image: © SACVB/Doug Wilson}

The five missions make up San Antonio Mission Trail. Today you can visit four of these missions at San Antonio Missions National Park – Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan and Mission Espada. The fifth mission, Mission San Antonio de Valero, become known as The Alamo. Admission to The Alamo is separate from the four missions at San Antonio Missions National Park.

The San Antonio Missions, which are operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio as the Old Spanish Missions, Inc., are open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They are closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Admission to the park and all the missions is free for everyone. Park rangers and docents conduct free guided tours, demonstrations and movies throughout each week. While visiting the Missions, you also can take a self-guided nature hike along the mission trail.

^{Mission San Jose – Image: © SACVB}

Founded in 1720 by Fray Antonio Margil de Jesus, Mission San Jose became the largest of the Texas Missions and was viewed as the benchmark among missions. The visitor center of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is located next to Mission San Jose and contains a theater showing a 20-minute depiction of early life at the mission, a museum and book shop. The visitors center is located at 6701 San Jose Drive (view location) and can be reached at (210) 932-1001.

^{Mission San Juan – Image: © SACVB/Tom Beck}

Established in 1731, the chapel at Mission San Juan Capistrano (normally referred to as Mission San Juan) is still in use and can be reserved for San Antonio weddings. It is located at 9101 Graf Road in San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

Additionally, the four missions at the park are all active catholic parishes and hold regular services. The churches are open to visitors during park hours, except during weddings, funerals and other special events.

^{Mission Espada – © SACVB}