Nestled within the La Villita Historic Arts Village, the Mayor Maury Maverick Plaza is dedicated to the city's celebrated former mayor. The plaza features his statue at the center and large open space surrounding it which is used as a venue for large scale festivals and events. This includes the fantastic annual Maverick Music Festival which sees a crowd of more than 2000 music lovers gather here to watch the performances of the local and national artists/ bands.
Although construction did not begin until 1749, this cathedral was established in 1731 by the Canary/Spanish Islanders, who sought to build their own place of worship. It is one of the oldest cathedral sanctuaries in the United States. The famous Alamo defender James Bowie was married here and during the siege of the Alamo Santa Anna used it as an observation post. Notable historic figures Bowie, William Travis and Davy Crockett are buried here. The cathedral still draws huge crowds for Mass and always welcomes visitors.
Just a few minutes northeast of San Antonio lies a geological wonder that attracts tourists from around the globe. Natural Bridge Caverns, designated both a U.S. Natural Landmark as well as a Texas Historic Site, contains some of the most phenomenal cave formations in the country. Giant stalactites resembling enormous chandeliers and stalagmites that look like fried eggs are just a few of the more than 10,000 formations contained within this living cave. Special rates are available for groups of 25 or more.
In 1915, the city requested a Japanese immigrant and his wife to transform an old rock quarry into a Japanese-styled garden, and a man named Mr. Kimi Eizo Jingu agreed to the task. He started with a rock house, which still stands today and is surrounded by winding pebble walkways, stone bridges, a waterfall and tranquil pools. His work transformed the old rock quarry into a garden filled with lily ponds and lush green vegetation. With the onset of World War II and the growing anti-Japanese sentiment that surrounded it, the city council changed the garden's name to "Chinese Sunken Garden." In 1983, the original name was finally restored.
Mission Marquee Plaza is a famous plaza building, which has served as a key landmark and cultural center in San Antonio, Texas, ever since it was first built at Roosevelt Avenue. After undergoing several renovations and refurbishment works, the ownership of this iconic building was transferred to the city council of San Antonia in 2007. Today, the building serves as the cultural epicenter in the city with several popular film festivals, musical concerts, art exhibitions and other cultural events being held at this venue. The plaza also features a beautiful mural recreation project, which was taken up and finished by the Department of Arts & Culture in 2013.