The Alamo

The Alamo is a former Spanish mission in the heart of San Antonio where, in 1836, a small band of Texan defenders was overwhelmed after a thirteen-day siege, a defeat that became a rallying cry, Remember the Alamo, in the fight for Texas independence. Its weathered limestone chapel is the enduring shrine of that story.

Highlights

• The mission chapel - the iconic weathered limestone facade of the Alamo.
• The Long Barrack - the surviving mission building and museum.
• The grounds and exhibits - the story of the siege and its defenders.
• The wider mission - the layout of the old mission compound.

When to go

The cooler months from autumn to spring for comfortable weather; summer in San Antonio is very hot. Early in the day avoids the busiest crowds around the small site.

Good to know

The surviving site is small, mostly the chapel and one barrack, so the visit is short and the sense of the battle takes imagination amid the modern city around it. It is a contested history, remembered differently by different communities. It is free but busy at its heart.

Nearby

The San Antonio River Walk is beside it; the other UNESCO Spanish missions line the river south of the city.

Key facts