Mission Concepcion
Mission Concepcion
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This 200-year-old Franciscan mission at the very heart of the Mission Trail was originally built against claims of French colonization.
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- ArielleMobile, Alabama142 contributionsNice historical site!Visited Mission Concepcion after visiting the Alamo. It was great getting to see a historic site and learning a little bit more about the culture and how religion was shaped, along with bringing in Native Americans. I also find it interesting that the Missions still have Mass regularly. Lastly, a lot of the paintings on the walls inside have been preserved. After going inside the church, I visited the gift shop and café which was very convenient.Visited April 2024Travelled soloWritten 15 April 2024
- GarfieldluvrDenver, Colorado977 contributionsBeautiful Mission!Mission Concepcion was one of my favorite missions. Mass was in session, so we could not view the inside, but the outside seems the prettiest part anyways. Make sure you make the time for this mission.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 19 April 2024
- California_momofsix1,123 contributionsMost original mission with beautiful colorful interiorOf all five San Antonio missions, this was my favorite on the inside. The interior of the mission church is colorful and beautiful. I believe this mission was the most original (vs. restored in the 1930s) There are several panels explaining what you are seeing. Free parking and not crowded. Definitely worth a stop. Entirely free.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 8 June 2024
- BritBell13Lubbock, Texas23 contributionsPeace at Mission ConcepcionMy third time to visit Mission Concepcion, but my wife’s first…she was surprised to see the mission surrounded by a metropolitan environment….as many visitors feel when they first visit the Alamo. These old buildings stood alone when they operated as places of worship, community, and education in the 18th Century. The Spanish established a chain of missions running north to south…located from the Alamo to Mission Espada. Over time, the city of San Antonio grew around them. I felt a sense of peace and welcome while visiting this beautiful place. I really enjoyed the visitors center. The man on duty in the center was very polite and helpful. He gave us information about the Mission, and directed us to watch the video. We definitely enjoyed our visit!Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 27 June 2024
- kunfushussPennsylvania481 contributionsQuick and peaceful mission siteI took a public bus ride to this general area from downtown on a whim, and was pleasantly surprised. This isn't big, but it's free and generally just an old (seemingly) mostly intact mission. It tells its story fairly well with placards, and it's interesting to walk around quietly, but only takes half an hourVisited July 2024Travelled soloWritten 6 July 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
1,032 reviews
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292
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56
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4
Terrible
1
TheLeongOhana
United States7,575 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
This mission was smaller, simpler but better preserved than the Mission San Jose.
A free parking lot only had around half a dozen cars, so glad the busses of kids did not follow us to this church.
The visitor center was closed but the church was open, however, we entered through the side as the main entrance was locked.
Inside the walls were painted and the altar was decorated with just flowers and one painting. In the adjoining convent you could barely see the wall paintings and it had to be from a distance as entry ways were cordened off.
A free parking lot only had around half a dozen cars, so glad the busses of kids did not follow us to this church.
The visitor center was closed but the church was open, however, we entered through the side as the main entrance was locked.
Inside the walls were painted and the altar was decorated with just flowers and one painting. In the adjoining convent you could barely see the wall paintings and it had to be from a distance as entry ways were cordened off.
Written 31 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taylor B
Chicago, IL8,479 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Franciscan Friars established Mission Nuestra Secora de la Purisima Concepcion de Acuna, more commonly known as Mission Concepcion, in the Nacogdoches area of East Texas in 1716, then moved the mission to San Antonio in 1731. Located at 807 Mission Road, it is the oldest unrestored church in America and is the best preserved of the Texas missions. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 and is part of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Mission Concepcion consists of a sanctuary, nave, convent and granary. It has the largest collection of fresco wall art of any of the missions in San Antonio. When originally built, brightly painted frescoes decorated both the exterior and interior of the building. Today, only traces of the frescoes still exist on the weathered facade of the building. Experts restored some of the artwork on the interior walls and ceilings of the convento in 1988. There are three paintings hanging in the church. Above the alter is "Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception." In the south transept is a painting of St. Francis of Assisi. In the north transept is a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe. All were given to the church when it was founded in 1716. One of the most entertaining events that occurs at the church every August 15 is a solar light show during the Feast of the Assumption. At precisely 6:30 p.m. a beam of sunlight comes through the circular window above the entrance and gradually settles on the floor at the very center of the church, the intersection of the nave and transepts. Moments later, a second beam comes through the western window in the church's dome and illuminates the wall above the alter. The entire process takes about 25 minutes. Today, the church is open to visitors from 9 to 5 daily. A guided tour of the grounds is given by National Park Service Rangers from 10 to 1:30 on Saturday and Sunday.
Written 3 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
volcanogirl
Houston, TX16,386 contributions
Apr 2022
I feel that we missed out a bit coming here. Not much remains on this property other than the chapel, and that was locked when we visited even though we were here during regular business hours. The ranger on site wasn't sure why, perhaps because Easter was the next day. The chapel exterior is beautiful, and we were able to view a few rooms that have preserved wall paintings. I enjoyed seeing those. If you only have time to visit a couple of missions, I probably wouldn't make this one a priority since the grounds are much less extensive than some of the others. Worth seeing if you have time. Wonderful to see history so well preserved.
Written 19 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lori G
Lumberton, TX401 contributions
July 2022
We really lucked out because there was a history docent there talking about the history of the mission. The painting (see my uploaded pic) is an original painting of St. Francis form 1591. There's so much history here. Please take the time to look it up online so you'll appreciate it more when in person. The parking lot is large, bathrooms are here and a water fountain. This is part of a bath path so there are bike stations as well.
Written 26 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Swifty Travels
Albuquerque, NM187 contributions
Jan 2023
Mission Concepcion is the oldest unrestored stone church in the United States, and it is an active parish. The grounds of this mission wasn't as large as I was expecting. This particular mission has some of the original art on the walls inside the church.
Written 10 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
clucumber
Quincy, Illinois, United States69 contributions
Mar 2021
We went on the missions tour, we loved all the missions but missed having a docent to answer questions or have literature available to help us understand all that we were seeing. There were places you could scan a phone and listen but unfortunately I don't have a smart phone. I enjoyed my stroll through the mission and reading what little info was available on the story boards. Darn Covid...........
Written 30 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin B
Mount Juliet, TN4,178 contributions
May 2020
We visited Mission Concepcion on our last visit to San Antonio and we enjoyed coming here. Like the other missions, you can learn a lot about the history of the missions in general and of San Antonio and there's a lot of history here. It has been left as a ruin and it's so rare to see something this old in the US. I recommend visiting Mission Concepcion and the other missions if you're a history buff and are in the area.
Written 29 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BritBell13
Lubbock, TX23 contributions
June 2024 • Family
My third time to visit Mission Concepcion, but my wife’s first…she was surprised to see the mission surrounded by a metropolitan environment….as many visitors feel when they first visit the Alamo.
These old buildings stood alone when they operated as places of worship, community, and education in the 18th Century. The Spanish established a chain of missions running north to south…located from the Alamo to Mission Espada.
Over time, the city of San Antonio grew around them.
I felt a sense of peace and welcome while visiting this beautiful place. I really enjoyed the visitors center. The man on duty in the center was very polite and helpful. He gave us information about the Mission, and directed us to watch the video.
We definitely enjoyed our visit!
These old buildings stood alone when they operated as places of worship, community, and education in the 18th Century. The Spanish established a chain of missions running north to south…located from the Alamo to Mission Espada.
Over time, the city of San Antonio grew around them.
I felt a sense of peace and welcome while visiting this beautiful place. I really enjoyed the visitors center. The man on duty in the center was very polite and helpful. He gave us information about the Mission, and directed us to watch the video.
We definitely enjoyed our visit!
Written 27 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tinaNtravel
San Jose, CA2,122 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
This Mission was pretty well preserved. The building itself and the hallways with the stone arches are worth a few pictures. The church is a good size with a side chapel as well. The altar is pretty with a large picture of Jesus above and behind the altar. Outside is a rock grotto with a large statue of Mary and a little girl praying, depicting Our Lady of Lourdes. They have a small café and small gift shop with a large map on the wall showing the location of all the missions.
Written 15 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly B
Iowa5,607 contributions
May 2021 • Family
We stopped in here during our recent trip to San Antonio. Although the small visitor’s center was not open due to Covid, the grounds were open as well as the church.
I took some amazing photos here. The architecture is just gorgeous. There’s a small shrine located off to the side of the building that is also worth a look. For the buildings, you can go inside not only the church but in a few rooms of the old sections.
In the church, make sure you walk all the way to the back; there are two additional rooms that visitors can go in. Most people stayed in the front of the church and missed the two extra rooms.
Visiting the mission is free. Keep in mind it’s still an active church so being quiet and respectful is a good idea.
I took some amazing photos here. The architecture is just gorgeous. There’s a small shrine located off to the side of the building that is also worth a look. For the buildings, you can go inside not only the church but in a few rooms of the old sections.
In the church, make sure you walk all the way to the back; there are two additional rooms that visitors can go in. Most people stayed in the front of the church and missed the two extra rooms.
Visiting the mission is free. Keep in mind it’s still an active church so being quiet and respectful is a good idea.
Written 8 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our family would love to attend mass during our spring break trip in March. Is this church still holding mass during the pandemic?
Written 27 December 2020
I don’t know about Mission Conception, but Mission San Jose was having a wedding while we were there. As to hildimg a mass, I would advise calling the park system there to find out.
Written 27 December 2020
Probably no more than an hour, max. I've done a lengthy review of it. However, the Mission San Jose is more interesting, since it's the northern-most baroque church in the Americas (meaning, Baroque architecture done during the late Baroque period--which ended later in Lima and Mexico City than in Europe, and latest of all in San Antonio, which was back of Bourne even compared to central Mexico. What little European architectural influence you see in the others, as in the Alamo, is poor man's Neoclassical, as opposed to poor man's Baroque. The Quebec and Maryland were both Catholic colonies, neither has a Baroque church. While there are plenty of older churches further north, they tend to be of the Quaker Meeting House and Wee Kirk o' the Heather. Don't miss the San Antonio Museum of Art: remarkably good, particularly in Meso-American and Asian art: it merits a full day, whereas all four old missions can be done in under four hours: 75 minutes for San Jose, 30-45 for Conception, and under 30 for each of the other two.
Written 18 February 2020
Can you bring a small dog along or what’s the pet policy?
Written 21 February 2018
Dogs are allowed on the grounds but not inside any buildings. Only exception are service dogs. Please pick-up after your pet.
Written 21 February 2018
I an planning to take a guided tour of all the four missions ($30 for 3 hours). I like to learn about a place to truly appreciate its history and not just look at the ruins or the buildings but do you think a guided tour is worth it? Or are there any free tours you can recommend? Thank you!!
Written 9 September 2017
I recommend the movie at the visitors center and a guided tour if you really want to learn the particulars. I think $30 would be worth it for the multiple sites.
Written 5 October 2017
childreyohern
Coral Springs, Florida
When the park is closed is it possible to photograph the mission building from outside the fence after hours
Written 6 June 2016
At this time it's completely open. As the Riverwalk is extended, that may change
Written 13 June 2016
Does the mission allow weddings, it's such a beautiful place. And when I lived in San Antonio many years ago I always found comfort there
Written 13 February 2016
Hello Ontact, thinking about getting married? How wonderful.
As for getting married at Mission Concepcion, I've got the following information for you..
Marriage Guidelines for Mission Concepcion
1) Mission Concepcion is a sacred space. The bridal party is asked to wear appropriate dresses that are modest for church services. Dressing space is limited, so brides should make plans accordingly. All are asked to respect the interior of the church in the way they act and speak. No food, beverage or gum is allowed.
2) The church seats 124 people but folding chairs can be set up for an additional 30 people if needed.
3) The wedding will normally take one hour for the setup, one hour for the ceremony and one hour for pictures after.
4) Please speak to the wedding coordinator, Candie Beltran @ 210-533-8955, as to floral decorations as well as other items such as floral pedals or rice. She will explain any restrictions due to the nature of our historical mission.
5) Limousines can be parked near the walkway to the church during the ceremony as long as the driver remains with the car. Parking is limited and guests are advised to carpool if possible.
6) Since the mission is part of the National Park System tourists may briefly enter the church during the wedding but will be limited to the area just inside the front door.
7) Pictures taken on the grounds of the mission ahead of the date of the wedding are subject to a permit issued by the National Park Service. Please call 210-534-8833 or nps.gov/saan.
Please note contact information under #5 and #7. Couple of other things to the contact..
* What is the cost, if any to get married at the mission. If there a fee for the Priest services.
* Can another type of minister marry at the mission?
* What is the cost for renting out the Mission?
* Are there any days that the mission cannot be rented, if rented?
* Can non Catholic's marry at the mission?
* Are photographs allowed during the service?
These are just several things to consider. Hope the information has been helpful, and if you do decide to get married, "Congratulations and Best wishes..
Respectfully
Dr. Marc PS 63:7
January 2015
Written 15 February 2016
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