Mission San Francisco de la Espada

This mission, now a part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, was the first mission in Texas. It was originally founded in Weches and moved to its current location in 1731. The chapel is an attractive feature of this mission. Its construction was completed in 1756. The back side of the church, which collapsed, was rebuilt in 1880s. A part of this premise was used as a school during the 20th century. Today, it houses the visitor's center for the National Park. Sadly, only the front arch is an existing part of the original structure. The stone arch and the entrance door are interesting reflections of architecture during that period. Another interesting feature is the still functional Espanda dam and Aqueduct.