The Alamo

The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a former Spanish Franciscan mission and one of the most important memorials in Texas history. Franciscans founded Mission San Antonio de Valero in 1718; after a hurricane destroyed the first church, the community moved to the present site in 1724. Construction of the stone church began in 1744 and resumed in 1758 after parts of it collapsed. From February 23 to March 6, 1836, Mexican troops besieged the compound for 13 days; according to the National Park Service, 187 Texan defenders died. The Alamo is a National Historic Landmark and, since 2015, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the San Antonio Missions.

You can visit the church, the Long Barrack with its exhibits and film, the gardens and the collection at the Ralston Family Collections Center. Access to the grounds, the church and the Long Barrack is free, but the church requires a free timed-entry ticket that you reserve online or at the Welcome Center (as of October 2026). Allow 30 to 60 minutes for the church and grounds, or up to three hours with the film or a guided tour. The Alamo has no parking of its own; the Houston Street Garage is about a six-minute walk away, and the River Walk is an easy stroll. It is usually quietest early in the day, and summer afternoons get very hot.