San Fernando Cathedral (115 Main Plaza) - Built in 1731 and established as the parish church for the original Canary Islanders who settled in San Antonio. The Battle of the Alamo in 1836 began after Mexican General Santa Ana raised the flag of "no quarter" from the tower of the church..
This Christ is a replica of the Cristo Negro (black Christ) in the Basilica
of Esquipulas, Guatemala. People leave candles,
pictures, notes, and "milagros" as a way to petition God for help or to give
thanks for a favor received.
Click here for a picture of me and my cousins at this Basilica
In 1936, during renovation work, a box of charred bones, nails, and shreds of uniforms was unearthed in the church believed to have been the remains of the Alamo defenders. Historians have argued since then about the validity of the claim, but the marble coffin (located at the front of the church) with the remains has been visited by thousands of people since that time.
The original "Little Village" of San Antonio, settled by the indigenous Indians, families of the Alamo Garrison and later by other Europeon immigrants. Today, these historic homes house artisans and craftsmen creating their unique wares.
One of my favorite stores was Scentchips, a wax potpourri store.
In 1984 the fate of The Fairmount was in debate, one option being the demolition of this nearly century old building to make room for new retail and lodging space (The Marriott River Center located at 101 Bowie St.); however, the city of San Antonio has long had strong ties to the past and therefore opted to move the entire structure to a new home next to La Villita National Historic District. Six days later on April 4, 1985 at an approx cost of $1 million to complete this monumental task, the 3.2 million pounds of brick and mortar was lifted onto rollers, trussed with bands of steel and moved five blocks to its present location where it settled onto it’s new home ground. The move was national and international news featured in more than 30 foreign countries. The Guinness Book of World Records noted it as the largest structure ever moved on wheels. The hotel reopened on September 5, 1986 with an addition to the original structure creating the 37 accommodations it has today.
| Built to host the 1968 World's Fair,
HemisFair Park has since been completely renovated and offers San
Antonio residents and visitors a unique experience.
During the renovation, unused facilities were removed and a beautiful, 15-acre park with cascading waterfalls and fountains, lushly landscaped areas, and restored historic buildings was built. HemisFair Park is located in downtown San Antonio adjacent to the Convention Center, in the shadow of the Alamo Dome. Symbol of HemisFair '68 and a world famous San Antonio landmark, the Tower of the Americas offers visitors a most unique city view from its 750-foot high observation decks and revolving restaurant. The tower was the tallest observation tower in the United States from 1968 until 1996, when the Las Vegas Stratosphere was built.
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