Marriage Island in Downtown

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

, is an

islet An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanen ...

in the middle of the

San Antonio River The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in midtown San Antonio, about 4 miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the ...

on the

San Antonio River Walk The San Antonio River Walk is a city park and special-case pedestrian street in San Antonio, Texas, one level down from the automobile street. The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shop ...

that is used for weddings. River guides claim that it brings good luck to new marriages and that it is heart-shaped. It is located in front of the Hotel Contessa on the widest part of the river, and is host to about 225 weddings a year. The island is located between the Navarro Street Bridge and Presa Street Bridge along the River Walk. San Antonio River tourist barges pass by the island on every tour along the river. Over the years, it has come to be known as Marriage Island due to the many wedding ceremonies performed there.

History

The Spanish Missionary, Father Damian Massanet, conducted the first Catholic Mass on this spot on June 13, 1691. He went on to rename the river after

Saint Anthony of Padua Anthony of Padua ( it, Antonio di Padova) or Anthony of Lisbon ( pt, António/Antônio de Lisboa; born Fernando Martins de Bulhões; 15 August 1195 – 13 June 1231) was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. He was bo ...

to honor his feast day. Rolando Briseño was commissioned in 1991 to create a sculpture to commemorate this Mass. The island is now the root ball of a cypress tree that was planted over 100 years ago. The island was originally kept so as not to cause permanent damage to the historic tree. It belongs to the City of San Antonio and the use of the island is controlled by Downtown Operations.

References

Tourist attractions in San Antonio Geography of San Antonio {{BexarCountyTX-geo-stub