Cathedral of San Fernando

Cathedral of San Fernando tickets: which one to buy

San Fernando Cathedral stands on the Main Plaza in downtown San Antonio, Texas, a few minutes' walk from the River Walk and the Alamo, and entry is free. It is one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States, and it is best known to visitors for San Antonio's The Saga, a free light show projected onto the cathedral facade several evenings a week, telling the history of the city in images and music.

Walking tours of downtown combine the cathedral with the River Walk, the Spanish Governor's Palace, the Alamo and Market Square. The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, a UNESCO site with four Spanish colonial missions, lies a short drive south and makes a natural extension. The cathedral is an active parish, with masses in English and Spanish, and visiting pauses during services. Parking garages near the River Walk are convenient, and the cathedral is a short walk from them.

Visiting Cathedral of San Fernando: what to see

The cathedral was founded in 1731 by settlers from the Canary Islands, who built a church on the plaza between 1738 and 1750, and parts of the walls of that church survive in the sanctuary of the present building, making it the oldest continuously functioning religious community in Texas. The cathedral was enlarged in 1868 in the Gothic Revival style, with a tall nave and twin towers. It became a cathedral in 1874. Inside, a gold retablo, a carved and gilded altarpiece in the Spanish colonial style, stands behind the altar, installed during a restoration completed in 2003. A marble casket near the entrance is said to contain the remains of defenders of the Alamo, including Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie and William Travis, though historians debate whether these are genuine.

Jim Bowie married his wife in the church. The stained glass windows, installed in the nineteenth century, show saints and events from the life of Christ. The cathedral's baptismal font dates from the colonial period. The Canary Islanders' old sanctuary, with its thick limestone walls, is distinguishable at the back of the church. The cathedral's bell tower clock is a local landmark. A plaque outside marks the spot where Santa Anna's forces raised a flag during the siege of the Alamo in 1836. Statues of the Virgin of Guadalupe draw prayers from the Mexican-American community. The Main Plaza fountains and trees create a shaded place to wait for the evening show.

Cathedral of San Fernando opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, and the Saga light show runs on the facade on several evenings each week, starting after dark, usually at nine, ten and eleven; check the schedule. San Antonio is hot in summer, with temperatures often above thirty-five degrees, and spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. Fiesta San Antonio in April is the city's biggest festival, with parades and events for eleven days. The River Walk is decorated with lights at Christmas. Allow about twenty minutes for the cathedral, and return in the evening to see The Saga from the plaza. The Spanish Governor's Palace, a short walk behind the cathedral, is the last colonial-era residential building in Texas.