Spanish Governor's Palace
105 Military Plaza
210-224-0601
Upcoming Improvements to the historic Spanish Governor’s Palace On November 9th, the Spanish Governor’s Palace will be closed for a Capital Improvements project. With funding from the 2007 Bond Election, we will be able to make improvements to the building including a new roofing system and installation of new electrical service to the building and courtyard. We anticipate this work to be completed within 120 days. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and hope you will visit us when we reopen in the Spring of 2010. In the meantime, please continue to visit our webpage and our Facebook page for updates on the project and information about the Grand Re-Opening Celebration. |
New Hours of Operation for the Spanish Governor’s Palace
Effective October 1, 2009
Tuesday – Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday 10:00am – 5:00pm
Closed Monday
Admission: Adults - $2.00
Military/Seniors - $1.50
Children ages 7 - 13, $1.00
Children under seven - Free
The Spanish Governor’s Palace is a National Historic Landmark in the city of San Antonio, Texas. It is considered the sole remaining example of an aristocratic early Spanish house in Texas. The National Geographic Society has called the landmark “the most beautiful building in San Antonio”.
The Presidio de San Antonio de Bejar was the result of a rivalry between Spain and France in the early 1700s for dominance of the territory that is now a part of the southwestern United States. King Philip V of Spain ordered Don Martin de Alarcon, along with fifty soldiers, to build a mission and presidio between the San Antonio and San Pedro rivers. Upon Alarcon’s arrival in 1718 he found an Indian village encamped at the head of the San Antonio River and San Pedro Springs. On May 5th of that same year he established the Presidio de San Antonio de Béjar to protect the newly established Mission San Antonio de Valero.
In 1722 the Marquis de San Miguel de Aguayo, Governor of Coahuila and Tejas, moved the Presidio to its current location. The original compound, as envisioned by the Marquis, was to be a large square with pointed bastions at each corner. Based upon a letter from the Marquis to His Majesty, dated June 13, 1722, 25,000 adobe bricks and 40 additional laborers were needed for the construction of the compound. The keystone above the front entrance is marked with the coat-of-arms of Spanish King Ferdinand VI and the inscription ‘año 1749 se acabo’ suggesting construction of the Presidio, albeit much smaller, was completed in 1749.
This building, traditionally known as the Spanish Governor’s Palace, was the original Commandancia (residence and working office) for the Captain of the Presidio. After the threat of French encroachment in East Texas was gone, King Carlos III appointed the Marquis de Rubí inspector of frontier presidios. Rubí’s inspection resulted in the Royal Regulations of 1772 that ordered the capital of Spanish Texas be moved from the Presidio at Los Adaes, east of Nacogdoches, Texas, to the Presidio de San Antonio de Béjar. Rubí’s orders also stipulated that the captain of the presidio at Béjar serve as Governor of Texas.
By the time Spain lost control of Mexico and Texas in 1821, the Presidio had ceased to function as a military post. However its owner and former captain Ignacio Perez and his descendants continued to use the building as a residence through the mid-1800s. The building’s function changed from residential to commercial in the mid-1870s and through the 1920s it housed a variety of businesses including a pawn shop, a wholesale produce store, saloons, and a clothing store.
The City of San Antonio purchased the property in 1928 and completed the restoration between 1929 and 1930. It is currently maintained by the Downtown Operations Department of the City of San Antonio and is open to the public as a museum.
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