Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
And it's not just dead animals you'll experience. There are other only-in-Texas dis-
plays, such as maps of Texas made from rattlesnake rattles and a jaw-dropping collection
of Lone Star Beer paraphernalia. Your admission is good for two days so there's time to
see it all.
San Fernando Cathedral
MAP
HISTORIC BUILDING
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.sfcathedral.org
;
115 Main Plaza; donations welcome; 9am-5pm Tue-Fri, to 6:30pm Sat, 8:30am-5pm Sun)
More than just another pretty church, San Fernando's role in the Battle of the Alamo
makes it an important local landmark. In happier times, future Alamo hero James Bowie
was married here. But as Bowie defended the Alamo just across the river, Mexican gener-
al Santa Anna took over the church as an observation post and raised a flag of 'no quarter'
that began the deadly siege - 'no quarter' meaning 'take no prisoners.'
In 1936 some remains were uncovered and, since they included charred bones and frag-
ments of uniforms, they were wildly purported to be those of Davy Crockett, William
Travis and James Bowie. (Never mind that the Alamo defenders didn't wear uniforms.)
Pay your respects to whoever they are at the marble casket at the left entrance to the
church.
Spanish Governor's Palace
( 210-224-0601; 105 Plaza de Armas; adult/7-13yr $4/2; 9am-5pm Tue-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun)
This low-pro-
file adobe structure that was the seat of Texas' colonial government was already more
than 150 years old when City Hall was built in 1889. But it was being occupied by com-
mercial tenants back then, including a saloon, a clothing store and even a pawn shop - un-
til the city realized its historical significance and bought the building back in 1928.
It's now been restored (approximately) to the way it looked back when it was first built
and outfitted with period furnishings. Take a half hour out of your day to learn the build-
ing's fascinating history, and be glad San Antonio discovered what it had before the
palace was torn down to build a parking lot.
HISTORIC BUILDING
Market Square
MAP
MARKET
GOOGLE MAP
( 210-207-8600; 514 W Commerce St; 10am-6pm, to 8pm late May-early Sep)
A little bit of
Mexico in downtown San Antonio, Market Square is a fair approximation of a trip south
