San Antonio Architecture Walking Tour

My love for San Antonio will be obvious on this comfortable walk sharing impressive architecture and subtle surprises, including four centuries of towers, dramatic interior spaces, and a little-known but very significant protected view. Experience several public spaces. Are they successful - or less successful? Let's talk about what works. Understand how San Antonio's historic buildings inform contemporary development and how new construction respects the beautiful San Antonio River Walk. Appreciate the diversity of styles we will see, highlighted by Art Deco architecture to Gothic Revival, Spanish Colonial, Richardsonian Romanesque, Renaissance Revival, and Modern. Our built environment features the legacy of important architects James Riley Gordon, Atlee B. and Robert Ayres, Marshall Sanguinet, Carl Staats, Englishman Alfred Giles, and Ricardo Legorreta of Mexico City. This walk will surprise and delight you - it's one of my favorite tours.

Begin and end at the front doors of San Fernando Cathedral on Main Plaza. Main Plaza. See the literal center of San Antonio surrounded by history and historic buildings. The River Walk. Away from the River Walk's better-known dining and drinking section, experience the calm tranquility of this urban green space while viewing a range of modest to imposing building styles from this unique perspective. Alamo Plaza. Walk through perhaps the single most historic location in Texas. Houston Street. At one time this street was the city's central business district - take a look at the multiple architectural styles and several excellent vistas. Back to Main Plaza. Please wear comfortable walking shoes. Our tour will travel across multiple surfaces, including stone, concrete, and some slightly uneven surfaces; however, the route is fully accessible for persons that are mobility impaired. Along the way there will be opportunities for refreshments and restroom break.