Main Plaza: San Antonio, Texas

Summary

As one of the only surviving Spanish colonial plazas in the nation, Main Plaza has been a part of downtown San Antonio since the early 18th century. New World Spanish urban planners created a lively community here by connecting the city's cathedral with "Plaza de las Islas," as the area was originally named.

Designated Area

Located between the Riverwalk to the east, San Fernando Cathedral and City Council Chambers to the west, Commerce Street to the north and  Bexar County Courthouse on Market Street to the south.

Brightly colored canopy structures are not only aesthetically pleasing but also provide shady refuge from the hot Texas sun. Photo courtesy of the Main Plaza Conservancy.

Planning Excellence

As one of the only surviving Spanish colonial plazas in the nation, Main Plaza has been a part of downtown San Antonio since the early 18th century.  New World Spanish urban planners created a lively community here by connecting the city's cathedral with "Plaza de las Islas," as the area was originally named.

Some 200 years later, toward the end of the 1800s, the plaza began to lose its appeal as residents moved away from downtown. The road going through the center of the plaza, Market Street, was widened for automobiles, while the scale of new 20th century buildings erected nearby dwarfed the plaza.  Then in the 1960s, a portion of the plaza was made into a park despite citizen protests against this historically impacting change.

The plaza's downward trajectory didn't change until 2005 when former Mayor Phil Hardberger proposed to renovate Main Plaza and enliven the space. To restore Main Plaza's former appeal to pedestrians, city planners realigned streets that were separating the plaza from San Fernando Cathedral and the Bexar County Courthouse.  Planners also added a new path to connect the plaza with the River Walk by making it the focal point of San Antonio's city center.

Completed in April 2008, the $12 million renovation created a multitude of new additions to the plaza.  Five new interactive fountains are located in the center of the Plaza, helping create a serene and cool atmosphere — and a fun place for kids to play. Free wi-fi has been added as well as abundant seating in shaded areas.

Small vignettes of San Antonio's history are scattered throughout the plaza in 30  artistic pavers, each telling a historically accurate story about the plaza through quotes and drawings, by Char Miller.  With the Lady Justice Fountain dating back to 1896, and San Fernando Cathedral, which is the oldest continuously operated cathedral in the nation and the oldest building in Texas, it becomes evident that Main Plaza embodies San Antonio's rich history.

Local culture unfolds in Main Plaza every day, from musicians performing and artists displaying their works,  to farmers selling produce. The vivid history, accompanied by the local culture, and Spanish influences, shows that Main Plaza is truly the "cultural corazón of the city."

Part of a $12 million renovation project completed in 2008, five interactive fountains located at the plaza's center create a cool atmosphere and a fun place for kids to play. Photo courtesy of the Main Plaza Conservancy.

Defining Characteristics and Salient Features

Significant History

• Main Plaza was the site of the first civil settlement in Texas. The plaza was locked in a grid, with plans to build government buildings, and housing along radiating streets with the cathedral in the center. Established in 1731 as "the Villa de San Fernando" by the Spanish Settlers from the Canary Islands
• On the northeast side of the plaza is a plaque that marks the exact location where women and children were taken to safety during the Battle of the Alamo
• A statue of St. Anthony of Padua, the city's namesake, is located to the right of the San Fernando Cathedral, on Main Plaza's West Promenade
• Two buildings bordering Main Plaza are a part of the National Register of Historical Places :  San Fernando Cathedral (1755), and Bexar County Courthouse (1896)

Major Revitalization

• The 1.55-acre expansion, started in 2006, connects Main Plaza with San Fernando Cathedral, Bexar County Courthouse, and the Riverwalk. City streets were arranged so as not to overwhelm the plaza, cutting off Dwyer Street and Main Avenue, with the main thoroughfare of Commerce Street and Dolorosa Street to the north and south of the plaza (respectively)
• A pathway now connects Main Plaza via the Portal de San Fernando, to the world-famous Riverwalk on the plaza's East Side
• A nonprofit organization, Main Plaza Conservancy, remains a strong advocate and ally while conducting the day to day operations on the plaza. The Conservancy's Mission is to provide San Antonio and its visitors with the cultural and historical Heart of the City
• According to former Mayor Hardberger: "The plaza is truly the heart of our city. This restoration will transform what had become an afterthought in the middle of a busy city into a peaceful, relaxing oasis where today's generations can pay tribute to our past."

Modern Features

• A donation by AT&T enables Main Plaza to offer free wi-fi Internet access
• Water from the five interactive fountains is re-circulated constantly through a filtration system that cleans the water, to emphasize sustainability of water usage
• Custom fabric and full colored weather-resistant canopy structures designed by  Rios Clementi Hale Studios, a California company,  encompasses the plaza offering cool shade to those wanting to stay awhile
• Hosts the Main Plaza Farmer's Market  on Tuesdays year round, weather permitting

San Antonio's Mexican heritage comes alive in Main Plaza, one of the only surviving Spanish colonial plazas in the United States. Photo courtesy of the Main Plaza Conservancy.