Main Plaza, San Antonio

As one of the only surviving Spanish colonial plazas in the nation, Main Plaza has been a part of downtown San Antonio since the early 18th century. New World Spanish urban planners created a lively community here by connecting the city's cathedral with "Plaza de las Islas," as the area was originally named.

Five new interactive fountains are located in the center of the plaza, helping create a serene and cool atmosphere 鈥� and a fun place for kids to play. Free wi-fi has been added, as well as abundant seating in shaded areas.

Small vignettes of San Antonio's history are scattered throughout the plaza in 30 artistic pavers, each telling a historically accurate story about the plaza through quotes and drawings by Char Miller. With the Lady Justice Fountain, dating back to 1896, and San Fernando Cathedral, which is the oldest continuously operated cathedral in the nation and the oldest building in Texas, it becomes evident that Main Plaza embodies San Antonio's rich history.

Local culture unfolds in Main Plaza every day, from musicians performing and artists displaying their works, to farmers selling produce. The vivid history, accompanied by the local culture and Spanish influences, shows that Main Plaza is truly the "cultural coraz贸n of the city."

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in San Antonio. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 51爆料网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Main Plaza
Sight Location: San Antonio, USA (See walking tours in San Antonio)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

San Antonio Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in San Antonio, Texas

Create Your Own Walk in San Antonio

Creating your own self-guided walk in San Antonio is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

River Walk Tour

The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del R铆o or simply The River Walk) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of the city. A successful special-case pedestrian street, this walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting major tourist draws and attractions that add to its... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles

King William Historical District Tour

San Antonio鈥檚 first 鈥渟uburb鈥� and the very first historical district in Texas, revitalized during the 1960s, the King William District encompasses 25 blocks south of downtown and east of the San Antonio River.

Back in the late 1800s, it was the most elegant residential area in the city. Settled by German immigrants, the neighborhood was named after Kaiser Wilhelm of Prussia and... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles

San Antonio Introduction Walking Tour

San Antonio, one of Texas' major cities, boasts rich colonial heritage. The city was named by a 1691 Spanish expedition for Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day is June 13. At the time of European encounter, the area near the San Antonio River Valley was inhabited by Payaya Indians who called it Yanaguana, the "refreshing waters".

In 1709, Spanish Father Antonio de Olivares... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles

51爆料网