When JaeHyun and I were planning our summer road trip down to San Antonio, we knew the trip just wouldn’t be complete without an afternoon at the historic Alamo and an evening stroll along the picturesque Riverwalk.
We spent a wonderful evening strolling through the historic streets. As dusk gave way to darkness, we knew there was one more San Antonio attraction we absolutely could not miss.
Only a few blocks away from the Alamo and Riverwalk entrances, the San Fernando Cathedral hosts San Antonio’s must-see show after dark.
History of the Cathedral
The San Fernando Cathedral’s construction began in 1731 and was undertaken by just 15 families. It was originally designed to be located at the very heart and center of the city. It was completed in 1750 and named after Ferdinand III of Castile — the patron Saint of engineers.
The cathedral has undergone many renovations and restorations over the years. The first major renovation was done by Francois P. Giraud in 1868, who not only significantly enlarged the structure but imparted a Gothic style to the architecture.
More recently, in 2003 the cathedral went under a $15 million renovation to stabilize, restore, and further expand the building to better meet modern needs.