Mission San Francisco De La Espada Catholic Church — Attraction in San Antonio

Mission Espada is one of the 5 frontier missions built by Spanish missionaries in the early 18th century and now designated as UNESCO heritage sites. Found in 1690 as Mission San Francisco de los Tejas, it was the oldest church in Texas, but the current church was built in 1731 after the mission relocated to the present location. It is the most remote of the 5 missions, being 9 miles south of the Alamo. Thanks to the remoteness, Mission Espada and Mission San Juan (the nearest mission to Mission Espada) are quieter and less crowded than the other 3 missions (Alamo, Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose), offering visitors a more intimate experience. While the exterior of the church looks old and barren, the interior was surprisingly well-restored and even air-conditioned! The mission compound has a couple of interesting buildings and ruins. There is also a small information center and washrooms.

For those travelling on public transport, bus 40 links the Alamo to the 4 missions every 30 minutes, 7 days a week. (I bought a day pass for $2.75 on the VIA goMobile app, which allowed unlimited bus rides in San Antonio.) However, the bus terminates at Mission San Juan. If you want to go to Mission Espada, you have to change bus at Mission San Juan. From Mission Espada, the bus goes back to the Alamo via Mission San Juan, Mission San Jose and Mission Concepcion. If you miss the southbound bus at Mission San Juan, you can walk from Mission San Juan to Mission Espada in 30 minutes (1.5 miles along the San Antonio river). The path is mostly flat and is suitable for wheels. However, a larger portion of the path is unshaded, so bring an umbrella if the...

As I have said in my other reviews, you should really skip the Alamo if you want to see some really cool missions. I had never been to this one before and I'm glad I came. Let me preface by saying that this mission is very small. However, the structural Integrity of the main church is very well kept. The grounds were also very quiet as there was hardly any people around. The greenery is also fantastic. There were a lot of beautiful plants and flowers around the grounds. Like all the other missions, there's a lot of open space where it tends to get very hot. You will probably spend about 30 minutes here just walking the grounds and reading over the signage. Also be sure to admire the church facade itself. Although we didn't buy anything, the people in the gift shop were also...

Mission Espada was founded in 1731 when the area was New Spain and is one of the four San Antonio Missions that belong to NPS that you can see. It is still an active Catholic Church as well. All four missions are beautiful and for all the similarities, each is very unique. Of the four, this one is in the most ruins. It is just incredible to stand there looking around on a hot, humid Texas September day and think about the people that lived here. Bathrooms are available to the right after you enter the mission from the visitor entrance. Paths are paved and easy to walk. Just be aware some of the edges can be a bit jagged, so watch your step. The mission is free, but the church asks for a donation in the sanctuary to help maintain...