Mission San Francisco De La Espada

This very old mission was founded in 1690 and moved to San Antonio in 1731. They produced their own food and raw materials as well as having a blacksmith and masonry on site. The mission was partially destroyed in the 1800s by a Comanche raid and a subsequent fire. Today, the ten acres of land contain the ruins of the church and old buildings. There are also some recreations of what daily life would have been like when the mission prospered. This along with the other San Antonio Missions is a UNESCO WHS. The park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. See the website for updates about holidays and closures.