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For more than sixty years, the plaza at Mission Espada in San Antonio, Texas was a busy place of learning of faith as well as works, language, and traditions. Along with the practicing hymns, prayers, and doctrines, mission Indians learned the skills needed to grow crops, to raise cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs, to work iron, to produce textiles, to make brick, and to build with masonry.
Fortified by powerful zeal, Franciscan friars stove to teach the Coahuilteccans how to work and worship as Europeans did - a requirement (in the Spanish mind) for the Indians to become productive servants of God and loyal subjects to the King of Spain.
The pews of the Mission San Francisco de la Espada's church are illuminated by the midday sun. This mission has been serving the San Antonio area for over 200 years. The afternoon before our visit, this church was used for lovely wedding.
Mission Espada. One of four mission churches in the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. All four are active Catholic parishes with regular services. Mission Espada was undergoing restoration and was covered with scaffolding making it difficult to get a clear shot.
As always, your comments and faves are appreciated. Constructive criticism and suggestions are especially welcome as I believe they help to make me a better photographer. Thank you for taking the time to look at my photos.
Mission San Francisco de la Espada is still an active church. It's also inside a National Historical Park.
The mission was more than just churches, they were communities. Each of these fortitfied villages had their own church, farm, and ranch – their own little world. Under the Franciscan friars, native people where converted to Catholicism , taught them to think of themselves and live as Spaniards, and help retain Spanish control over the Texas frontier.
Mission Espada- San Antonio - incredible engineering has endured 400+ years with nothing but the crudest materials in the wilderness of the time
Entrance to the Chapel. Mission San Francisco de la Espada was a Roman Catholic mission established by Spain near San Antonio de Bexar in northern New Spain in 1731 to convert local Native Americans to Christianity.
Orginally designed to serve as the mission's the original sacristy, this beautiful building has been used as the mission's sanctuary for over 200 years. While falling in to disrepair in the 19th century and later restored, the facade and door are still the original.
Founded in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas near present-day Weches, Texas, this was the first mission in Texas. In 1731, the mission transferred to the San Antonio River area and renamed Mission San Francisco de la Espada. A friary was built in 1745, and the church was completed in 1756.
Following government policy, Franciscan missionaries sought to make life within mission communities closely resemble that of Spanish villages and Spanish culture. In order to become Spanish citizens and productive inhabitants, Native Americans learned vocational skills. As plows, farm implements, and gear for horses, oxen, and mules fell into disrepair, blacksmithing skills soon became indispensable. Weaving skills were needed to help clothe the inhabitants. As buildings became more elaborate, mission occupants learned masonry and carpentry skills under the direction of craftsmen contracted by the missionaries.
After secularization, these vocational skills proved beneficial to post-colonial growth of San Antonio. The legacy of these Native American artisans is still evident throughout the city of San Antonio today.
Taken from; www.nps.gov/saan/planyourvisit/espada.htm
I have visited the missions only twice now. However, on both occasions, the church at Mission Espada was locked, and we were not allowed inside. I was quite disappointed as my Mom, my Uncle, and my Aunt were with me. I would have been ideal to see the interior. To be fair, there was construction taking place nearby. I understand construction should be complete by mid year 2015.
Mission Espada is located on the Mission Trail down in San Antonio, TX and is a beautiful place. This was my first visit there and I was impressed. It is actually quite small compared to Mission San Jose and Mission Concepcion - that's essentially the whole thing in this shot - but it is so charming and beautiful that you don't really think about it being "the little guy". I arrived at 9am when the grounds were open to the public and was the only one there, which is nice. I really like the look of the facade with the bells up top and spent quite a while getting all sorts of shots of it, which I will share as I get time to process them. I also got a nice one from inside - again, a fairly small interior - but I found it to be beautiful partly due to its simplicity. This mission is further afield than the others, and San Jose and Concepcion get more of the publicity (along with the Alamo of course), but if you are there I highly recommend adding this to the list - it is actually my favorite of all.
From the blog at: www.nomadicpursuits.com/blog/
Follow me: twitter.com/jimnixaustin
In the 18th century, the Spanish church established five Catholic missions along the San Antonio River, primarily to extend its dominion northward from Mexico, but also to convert the native population.
What remains of the largest concentration of missions in North America provides an interesting look into Texas’ history.
Originally designed to serve as the mission's the original sacristy, this beautiful building has been used as the mission's sanctuary for over 200 years. While falling in to disrepair in the 19th century, it has later been restored.
The mission was more than just churches, they were communities. Each of these fortitfied villages had their own church, farm, and ranch. Under the Franciscan friars, native people where converted to Catholicism , taught them to think of themselves and live as Spaniards, and help retain Spanish control over the Texas frontier.
Though the mission church at Espada is the least impressive of the four San Antonio Missions, the interior is lovely indeed.
The Franciscan Mission Espada (Misión San Francisco de la Espada) was the southernmost of the five baroque mission churches and defense complexes the Spaniards built in the early 18th century to defend the Northern boundary of the Spanish colonial empire against French incursions. The five fortified Franciscan mission churches were built along the San Antonio River about three miles apart from each other.
The Mission Espada was originally founded in East Texas in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas but relocated to the banks of the San Antonio River in 1731. A friary was built in 1745, and the church was completed in 1756. Following Spanish government policy, Franciscan missionaries sought to make life within mission communities closely resemble that of Spanish villages and Spanish culture, and Native Americans were taught necessary vocational skills.
Mission San Francisco de la Espada (also Mission Espada) was built by Spanish Franciscan in 1756, on the banks of the San Antonio River in present-day San Antonio, Texas.
It is part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
The photo was taken in March 1979.
Originally designed to serve as the mission's the original sacristy, this beautiful building has been used as the mission's sanctuary for over 200 years. While falling in to disrepair in the 19th century and later restored, the facade and door are still the original.
When Caroline I were in San Antonio we spend some time exploring the San Antonio Mission Trail. First up Mission Espada. Completed in 1756, this was the first Spanish mission built in Texas. It is one of the 4 missions in the San Antonio Missions National Park a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For those in the 365 group I post in, I am using the Missions for a few of my weekly posts. :-)
The Torre de Esperanza, the Tower of Hope, stands at beginning of University Way, the mile-long boulevard that leads to Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park preserves four of the five Spanish frontier missions in San Antonio, Texas, USA. These outposts were established by Catholic religious orders to spread Christianity among the local natives.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park preserves four of the five Spanish frontier missions in San Antonio, Texas, USA. These outposts were established by Catholic religious orders to spread Christianity among the local natives.
Mission San Francisco de la Espada (also Mission Espada) was built by Spanish Franciscan in 1756, on the banks of the San Antonio River in present-day San Antonio, Texas.
It is part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
The photo was taken in March 1979.
"1970's Texas" "1970's Texas vacation" "1970's vacation"
"1979 Texas" "1979 Texas vacation" "1979 vacation" "1970's San Antonio" "1979 San Antonio" "1970's Mission Espada" "1979 Mission Espada" "1970's San Antonio Missions National Historical Park" "1979 San Antonio Missions National Historical Park" "1970's San Antonio vacation" "1979 San Antonio vacation"
An "old style" photo of Mission Espada located in San Antonio, Texas.
For more on this photo, please visit my blog post:
brianmoranhdr.blogspot.com/2011/02/retro-mission-espada.html
A follow up to my post of the exterior of Mission Espada from last week - this is the interior. It is rather small, as you can see, but possesses a quaint beauty that I have not found at other missions in San Antonio. I found it be to spectacular. I guess it is that “beauty in simplicity” thing. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the photo as much as I enjoyed being inside the mission.
From the blog at: www.nomadicpursuits.com/blog/
Follow me: twitter.com/jimnixaustin
Founded in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas near present-day Weches, Texas, this was the first mission in Texas. In 1731, the mission transferred to the San Antonio River area and renamed Mission San Francisco de la Espada. A friary was built in 1745, and the church was completed in 1756.
Texas, 1997
Photographed analog with a Canon AE-1 Program on Kodak Gold film and digitized on Kodak Photo CD in the 90s.
Mission San Francisco de la Espada is a Roman Rite Catholic mission established in 1690 by Spain and relocated in 1731 to present-day San Antonio, Texas, in what was then known as northern New Spain.
This is the entrance to Mission Espada, in San Antonio, TX. It is one of the lesser-known missions along The Mission Trail, and is the smallest, but it is my favorite. I just really enjoyed being here, and taking shots of this lovely structure. I was there with my Mom and we had the place all to ourselves. I was lining up for this shot, when I thought it would look better with the door slightly ajar - you know, a small peek inside, it plays to the imagination, all that sort of stuff. So my Mom was kind enough to go inside and hold the door for me, thanks Mom!
From the blog at: www.nomadicpursuits.com/blog/
For more than sixty years, the plaza at Mission Espada in San Antonio, Texas was a busy place of learning of faith as well as works, language, and traditions. Along with the practicing hymns, prayers, and doctrines, mission Indians learned the skills needed to grow crops, to raise cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs, to work iron, to produce textiles, to make brick, and to build with masonry.
Fortified by powerful zeal, Franciscan friars stove to teach the Coahuilteccans how to work and worship as Europeans did - a requirement (in the Spanish mind) for the Indians to become productive servants of God and loyal subjects to the King of Spain.
Mission San Francisco de la Espada (also Mission Espada) was built by Spanish Franciscan in 1756, on the banks of the San Antonio River in present-day San Antonio, Texas.
It is part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
The photo was taken in August 1975.
"1970's Texas" "1970's Texas vacation" "1970's vacation"
"1975 Texas" "1975 Texas vacation" "1975 vacation" "1970's San Antonio" "1975 San Antonio" "1970's Mission Espada" "1975 Mission Espada" "1970's San Antonio Missions National Historical Park" "1975 San Antonio Missions National Historical Park" "1970's San Antonio vacation" "1975 San Antonio vacation"
Mission San Francisco de la Espada is the first and southern-most of the San Antonio missions. Founded in 1960 near present-day Weches, Texas, it wasn't until 1731 that it was migrated to it's current location in the San Antonio River area. The mission was used by James Bowie, William Travis and the Texas army as a stronghold against the Mexicans during Texas’ struggle for independence.