Have you ever wanted to hit the road and visit the Alamo? It’s one of the most iconic things to see in Texas! Before you head to San Antonio, be sure to check out this visitor’s guide to the Alamo!
The Alamo is now owned by the State of Texas and operated by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. The Alamo is open every day of the year except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Alamo is very enjoyable to visit any season of the year. The Alamo is definitely the number one attraction in Texas and for good reason, its available all year round, accessible to everyone and the admission to the Alamo is free.
The Alamo is an excellent way to start your trip in Texas, because you will begin exactly in the place that Texas independence was born. The Alamo and its beautiful grounds are the heart of San Antonio, but it is also the heart of the Texan spirit that so many take pride in today. The Alamo is widely recognized as a symbol of heroic courage in the struggle against oppression and a place where everyone should visit.
The Alamo is a partially reconstructed Spanish Mission in the heart of the city of San Antonio and was the place where 189 Texas patriots died in 1836, while defending their land against a greatly superior Mexican army led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa. Tradition says that on the morning of March 6, 1836, General Santa Anna ordered his band to play a song called El Deguello during the assault on the Alamo.
According to author Walter Lord, this song was “a hymn of hate and merciless death, played to spur the Mexican assault troops forward in their final assault on the Alamo. Although the Alamo fell in the early morning hours of March 6, 1836 after a siege lasting 10 days, the death of the Alamo defenders has come to symbolize courage and sacrifice for the cause of liberty. The Alamo is a sacred shrine in Texas and it stands for liberty, and the ultimate sacrifice for freedom against overwhelming odds.
The Alamo is located on Alamo Plaza in downtown San Antonio, Texas, it represents nearly 300 years of history. It was the mission compound that was constructed here at the 1724 location that later gained fame as the Alamo. The walls were repaired and roofed in 1968, as part of the renovations to the Alamo for Hemis Fair, so creating the Long Barrack Museum. The Alamo is now encased in a high-tech, carbon fiber composite hull to protect it. When you visit the Alamo men are requested to remove their hats, this tradition at the Alamo dates to 1913 when the Daughters of the Republic of Texas first placed a sign at the entrance which read: “Gentleman on entering the Alamo will please remove their hats, and all visitors will speak in low tones, in recognition of the sacredness of this shrine.
The long barracks has now been preserved as a museum and it is quite thought-provoking to stand in the place where the fiercest fighting took place. The museum contains relics and mementos from the history of the Republic of Texas and is highlighted by narrations on the fall of the Alamo. The museum also contains an exhibit telling the story of the siege of The Alamo, the letters asking for help, and the response saying there will be no help. The Museum also tells the story of various defenders, and houses replicas of uniforms worn by the Mexican Army at the time.
After touring the Alamo and if you are in the mood for pizza, there is a Pizza Hut directly across from it and on its walls is a largely painted rendition of the famous Onderdonk painting of the Fall of the Alamo. Most of all be sure to visit the Menger Bar which can be located on the north side of the Menger hotel and easily spotted as you walk out of the added walls of the Alamo. In the near vicinity of Alamo Square, are several very interesting museums and cultural attractions including the San Antonio Children’s Museum and the Hertzberg Circus Collection and Museum. The Buckhorn Saloon and Museum is the most curious. It is an old-time western saloon and restaurant with a museum of animal horns, cowboy memorabilia and other strange artifacts.
The Alamo is a sacred shrine in Texas, it stands for liberty, and the ultimate sacrifice for freedom against overwhelming odds and is a first class attraction that everyone should visit. So plan your road trip, take the car to the dealership to make sure everything is running smoothly and hit the road!
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