San Antonio Attractions - The Alamo
San Antonio Historic Sites - The Alamo
On the east side of Alamo Plaza is the most famous spot in Texas where 189 defenders fell on March 6, 1836, after repeated attacks by Mexican General Santa Anna's army. Mission San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo) was established in 1718 as the city's first mission. The chapel, one of the most photographed facades in the nation, and the Long Barracks are all that remain of the original fort. The Long Barracks Museum and Library is located near the chapel. The museum contains relics and mementos from the Republic of Texas and offers a narration on the fall of the Alamo. The Alamo is located in the heart of the city, inside beautifully landscaped grounds.
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas. The compound, which originally comprised a sanctuary and surrounding buildings, was built by the Spanish Empire in the 18th century for the education of local Native Americans after their conversion to Christianity. In 1793, the mission was secularized and soon abandoned. Ten years later, it became a fortress housing the Mexican Army group the Second Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras, who likely gave the mission the name "Alamo".
In 1849, several years after Texas was annexed to the United States, the US Army began renting the facility for use as a quartermaster's depot. The US Army abandoned the mission in 1876 after nearby Fort Sam Houston was established. The Alamo chapel was sold to the state of Texas, which conducted occasional tours but made no effort to restore it. The remaining buildings were sold to a mercantile company which operated them as a wholesale grocery store.
The Alamo, 330 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX - Distance from Hilton Hill Country Hotel & Spa: 12.3 miles.
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