What Is The Alamo (Mission San Antonio de Padua)?
The Alamo was one of San Antonio’s earliest Spanish missions and the site of the most famous battle in Texas’ war of independence!
What Makes It Historical?
Spanish governor, Martín de Alarcón, and Padre Antonio Olivares, established Mission San Antonio de Valero across the San Antonio River from here on May 1, 1718. It moved twice, once in 1719, and again in 1724. The original church was poorly built and collapsed by 1756, and while it was being rebuilt, the Spanish Empire had started to secularize the missions and reclaim their cattle!
Once the missions were secularized, the military moved in and turned this mission into a presidio called Pueblo del Alamo! During the Mexican Revolution, rebel troops occupied the Alamo, but Spanish forces recaptured it, a move with more famous echoes less than twenty years later!
Having won independence from Spain, the new Mexican government invited US citizens to move into Texas territory to act as a buffer against attacks by the Apache and Comanche. In return, they had to swear allegiance to the new Mexican Constitution of 1824! Unfortunately, the number of US citizens grew larger than expected, and Antonio López de Santa Anna abolished that Constitution and sent troops up into Texas! Mexican troops attacked the garrison at the Alamo on March 6, 1836. Over thirteen day, the 200 or so Texan volunteers at the Alamo held their own against the 1,800-6,000 Mexican troops, but the Mexican Army, like the Spanish one before, overwhelmed them!
Nevertheless, the battle of the Alamo became a literal rallying cry, and with “Remember the Alamo!” on their lips, the Texan army captured Santa Anna and won independence for Texas on April 21, 1836! Today, they Alamo is both a museum and memorial to the lives lost in this epic battle, and if anyone could find its fabled basement, I’m sure there would be even more surprises in store!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer at The Alamo!
- Donate to The Alamo!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
300 Alamo Plaza
San Antonio, TX 78205
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
From early September until late May, the Alamo is open daily from 9:00 AM until 5:30 PM! During the summer months, it’s open until 7:00 PM!
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