Mission San José

When you are in a different city it’s always fun to go sightseeing. If you wish to explore the historical sights of San Antonio then the Spanish missions should be at the top of your to do list. 

San Antonio has five famous frontier mission complexes near each other, which are located along the San Antonio River basin. Nowhere else in North America will you find so many missions near each. These missions were made in an effort to colonize and defend this part of America, while also turning the indigenous population into good Christians.

The most famous of these missions is undoubtedly the Alamo, but the largest and perhaps the most visually impressive one is the mission ‘San José y San Miguel de Aguayo’, or simply mission San José in short. That’s why this mission is often referred to as the Queen of the Missions. This mission was founded in 1720 and used to house an entire community. Considering this landmark is older than the United States itself, visiting this monument gives us an interesting insight in how people used to live during that time period in America.

Due to its historical significance Mission San José is an UNESCO World Heritage site and has been well maintained to this day. And the stunning church at the heart of the mission is actually still in active use. Of course people are welcome to check out the church’s beautiful flying buttresses, the unique baroque rose window, carvings and Spanish colonial architecture. Visiting this historical site is free, but for a more immersive experience you could consider booking a guided tour through the missions, to find out more about the historical significance and the unique highlights of each of the missions.