The City of San Antonio, Texas, was founded largely by the efforts of Antonio Olivares, a Spanish monk born in 1630, known colloquially as simply San Antonio. San Antonio is also responsible for celebrating the first Roman Catholic mass in Texas. He was instrumental in founding the institutions behind the San Antonio Missions tour.
The largest of the missions, regarded as the "Queen of the Missions, " is San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo, now known more informally as Mission San Jose. Work began on its construction in 1720 and the mission was completed in 1782. In 1874, both the dome and the roof collapsed. The year 1928 saw the collapse of the church tower. The church itself is constructed of brightly colored stucco and Texas limestone.
Architectural features for which the mission is noted include the "Rose Window, " flying buttresses, quatrefoil patterns, polychromatic plaster and numerous intriguing carvings. The 25 risers in the loft for the choir were all hand-carved from a single log. They were joined without the use of either pegs or nails.
A person could be forgiven for expecting the Rose Window to follow the pattern of other similarly-named features of its kind. The traditional rose window, or Catherine Window, is a generic term applied to a window in the form of a circle. The structure is divided by "spokes" using tracery and mullions, earning it the alternative name, "wheel window."
The Rose Window at the church in San Jose bears no resemblance whatsoever to the other so-named windows of its time, the mid-eighteenth century. When it was set in place in 1770, the San Jose Rose Window was considered the most grandiose and ornate feature in the entire country. Situated just over four feet off the ground, the window stands seven feet high. The origin of its name remains unknown to this day.
There are three other missions contained within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. These are Mission Espada, Mission Concepcion and Mission San Juan Capistrano. This third establishment is easily confused with its counterpart of the same name located in Southern California. The California mission is famous for flocks of swallows that return to it every spring. By far the most famous of the San Antonio missions, located outside the national park, is The Alamo.
The fifth Spanish mission located in San Antonio, The Alamo, was the site of one of the defining battles in Texas history during the Texas War of Independence (otherwise known as the Texas Revolution). The war, lasting six months, was between the Mexican government and the colonists of Texas. That particular conflict ended with the formation of the Texan republic. Prior to the Mexican-American War that took place in 1848, Texas was formally entered into the union as the 28th state.
No longer a Roman Catholic church, the mission at The Alamo is now a museum in downtown San Antonio as part of the Alamo Plaza District. A viewing of each of the other Franciscan missions, located in the National Historical park, can be completed in roughly two to four hours per site. In total, the park is home to more than 180 species of bird. Admission to the park is free, as are the guided tours.
The largest of the missions, regarded as the "Queen of the Missions, " is San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo, now known more informally as Mission San Jose. Work began on its construction in 1720 and the mission was completed in 1782. In 1874, both the dome and the roof collapsed. The year 1928 saw the collapse of the church tower. The church itself is constructed of brightly colored stucco and Texas limestone.
Architectural features for which the mission is noted include the "Rose Window, " flying buttresses, quatrefoil patterns, polychromatic plaster and numerous intriguing carvings. The 25 risers in the loft for the choir were all hand-carved from a single log. They were joined without the use of either pegs or nails.
A person could be forgiven for expecting the Rose Window to follow the pattern of other similarly-named features of its kind. The traditional rose window, or Catherine Window, is a generic term applied to a window in the form of a circle. The structure is divided by "spokes" using tracery and mullions, earning it the alternative name, "wheel window."
The Rose Window at the church in San Jose bears no resemblance whatsoever to the other so-named windows of its time, the mid-eighteenth century. When it was set in place in 1770, the San Jose Rose Window was considered the most grandiose and ornate feature in the entire country. Situated just over four feet off the ground, the window stands seven feet high. The origin of its name remains unknown to this day.
There are three other missions contained within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. These are Mission Espada, Mission Concepcion and Mission San Juan Capistrano. This third establishment is easily confused with its counterpart of the same name located in Southern California. The California mission is famous for flocks of swallows that return to it every spring. By far the most famous of the San Antonio missions, located outside the national park, is The Alamo.
The fifth Spanish mission located in San Antonio, The Alamo, was the site of one of the defining battles in Texas history during the Texas War of Independence (otherwise known as the Texas Revolution). The war, lasting six months, was between the Mexican government and the colonists of Texas. That particular conflict ended with the formation of the Texan republic. Prior to the Mexican-American War that took place in 1848, Texas was formally entered into the union as the 28th state.
No longer a Roman Catholic church, the mission at The Alamo is now a museum in downtown San Antonio as part of the Alamo Plaza District. A viewing of each of the other Franciscan missions, located in the National Historical park, can be completed in roughly two to four hours per site. In total, the park is home to more than 180 species of bird. Admission to the park is free, as are the guided tours.
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