The city of San Antonio is one of the most reminiscent cities in Texas. When it comes to historical cities in Texas, you can find historical wealth anywhere you look. Its history can be rooted back during the 17 Century, wherein European conquerors, explorers, and missionaries flocked the city. Ever since the beginning, San Antonio proved to be one of the few cities that were greatly influenced by the Spaniards.
If you’re dropping by San Antonio and you want to enjoy the beautiful historic scenery it offers, we rounded up a list of must-see architectural sights within the city to make the experience more enjoyable for you. If you want to learn more about these architectural designs, make sure to read further!
The Alamo
Pretty much every American knows this famous San Antonio building. This chapel is one of the most recognizable symbols of Texas as a whole state. It’s like nothing else—this historic destination has captured the world’s eyes for generations, making it a perfect travel spot for the entire family.
Located on Alamo Plaza in downtown San Antonio, this chapel features exhibits and interactive tours, and reenactments of the Texas Revolution. In case you have not heard of it yet, the Alamo has served as a way station between Mexico and east Texas. Today, tourists are invited to rediscover the gems of the past. Take a gander of the 4.2-acre complex, a stroll through the Alamo Gardens, and head to River Walk to experience local shopping, dining, and entertainment.
To visit the Alamo, visitors are required to reserve their free timed-entry tickets online.
Tower of the Americas
The 750-foot tower in San Antonio provides guests with a breathtaking view of the Alamo City. This structure allows you to enjoy the panoramic view of the entire historic city while dining in at Chart House Restaurant. Likewise, you can also bask in the city’s wonderful view from the Observation Deck or be in a thrilling 4D theater ride.
A little backstory about this towering structure: it took a 550-foot central pillar to construct this massive tower. The multi-story top house stood at ground level then hoisted atop. The Tower of the Americas stood as the tallest observation tower in the entire United States, until the Stratosphere tower erected in Las Vegas during the mid-1990s. Nevertheless, this massive tower remains one of the most sought-after destinations in entire Texas.
The Fairmount Hotel
Ever since it opened its doors in 1906, the Fairmount Hotel is deemed a luxurious hotel. Back in the day, the building developers were in dispute for the prime real estate it stands on, desiring to tear down the building to make way for commercial hotels and shopping malls. However, since the city knows the importance of its history, the city helped the owners. They moved the building by using massive rollers. It reached its new destination six blocks away from its original place. Now, the Fairmount Hotel stands beside La Villita National Historic District. The building is just less than a mile away from the Alamo.
The Pyramid Building
Another sight you should witness in San Antonio is the famous Pyramid building. Situated north of downtown San Antonio (at the intersection of Loop 410 and San Pedro Ave.), this unique structure is a standout eye-candy in a historic city. The Pyramid building is a modern business space that has got a unique style to match it.
Developers of the building utilized a step-like pattern to bring functionality to the sloping sides. The building was ahead of its time—it was built more than 40 years ago but the architectural style passes the modern standards. The building’s exterior boasts golden limestone from a narrow deposit nearby Austin.
In addition to San Antonio’s historic wealth, this building is a testament that the historic city is now cultivating a business culture within the city. The best time to visit is at night—trust us, the nighttime views that feature brilliant lights and colors will leave you breathless!
There are a lot of things to learn about the architectural structures within San Antonio! So, if you are in it for a trip down memory lane, head over to this historic city of Texas and relish every moment in it!
