The Spanish Governor's Palace is a historic adobe from the

Spanish Texas Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of the colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. The term "interior provinces" first appeared in 1712, as an expression meaning "far away" provinces. It was only in 1776 that a lega ...

period located in

Downtown San Antonio Downtown San Antonio is the central business district of San Antonio, Texas, United States. It also serves as the urban core of Greater San Antonio, a metropolitan area with nearly 2.5 million people. In addition to being encircled by Loops 1604 ...

. It is the last visible trace of the 18th-century colonial

Presidio San Antonio de Béxar Presidio de Béxar was a Spanish fort built near the San Antonio River, located in what is now San Antonio, Texas, in the United States. It was designed for protection of the mission San Antonio de Valero and the Villa de Béjar. The Presidio de B ...

complex, and the only remaining example in Texas of an aristocratic 18th-century Spanish Colonial in−town residence. The

National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, an ...

has named the landmark "the most beautiful building in San Antonio." The building was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1970. It is now owned by the city, and is open to the public as a museum.

History

The building was constructed in the early 18th century, planned as early as 1722 and completed in 1749. The keystone above the front entrance is marked with the coat-of-arms of Spanish King

Ferdinand VI , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Philip V of Spain , mother = Maria Luisa of Savoy , birth_date = 23 September 1713 , birth_place = Royal Alcazar of Madrid, Madrid, Spain , death_date = , death_place = Villavic ...

and the date 1749. The building was the residence and working offices of the local

presidio A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...

captain at first. Later, it became the home of the Spanish governors who lived in San Antonio. The building later became the capitol building of the Texas region of

in 1772. The Spanish built the

to protect the area's missions, including the

San Antonio de Valero Mission The Alamo is a historic Spanish mission and fortress compound founded in the 18th century by Roman Catholic missionaries in what is now San Antonio, Texas, United States. It was the site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, a pivotal event of t ...

(The Alamo) and the missions in the present day

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is a National Historical Park and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site preserving four of the five Spanish frontier missions in San Antonio, Texas, USA. These outposts were established by Catholic r ...

, as well as the growing Spanish colony.

Description and location

Spanish Governor's Palace July 2017 14 (garden)

The one-story masonry and stucco structure features ten rooms, a grand

courtyard A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary ...

and a

fountain A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. Fountains were ori ...

, and is alleged to be haunted. The palace is located in between Market Square and 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 ...

near the current city hall. The address is 105 Military Plaza, San Antonio.

References

External links

Spanish Governor's Palace
– official web page of the Center City Development & Operations Dept.
Spanish Governor's Palace
– '' Handbook of Texas Online'' {{Authority control Houses in San Antonio Historic house museums in Texas Museums in San Antonio Houses completed in 1749 Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas National Register of Historic Places in San Antonio National Historic Landmarks in Texas 1722 establishments in Texas 18th century in Texas Governor of Texas History of San Antonio Adobe buildings and structures Palaces in the United States Spanish Colonial architecture in Texas Former governors' mansions in the United States