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San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Plan Your Visit
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| Click photograph to go to Church Information |
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Church Services
The four mission churches within San Antonio Missions National Historical Park are active catholic parishes, and hold . They are open to park visitors during park hours, except for special services, such as weddings and funerals.
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| The dam (top) and aqueduct (bottom) make up part of Mission Espada's 270-year old irrigation system. |
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Things To See and Do, Briefly
When visiting San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, plan to spend at least a couple of hours — four hours if you have the time. Free guided tours, movies, and demonstrations are scheduled throughout the week.
Besides the four historic missions and their churches, check out the grist mill at Mission San José, and the 270-year old Espada acequia (irrigation system) with its dam and aqueduct.
The Spanish missions were established on the frontier and there are still portions of native habitat excellent for birding. A section of the original river can be viewed from the nature trail at Mission San Juan.
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The park has over 180 species of birds, including the
hummingbird and ibis. |
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Did You Know?
that Spanish missions were not churches? They were Indian towns, with the church as the focus, where, in the 1700s, the native people were learning to become Spanish citizens. In order to become a citizen, they had to be Catholic; that is why the King of Spain sent missionaries to acculturate them.
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Last Updated: September 22, 2006 at 09:29 EST |
