Presidio La Bahía, Military museum in Goliad, United States
Presidio La Bahía is a stone fortress with thick walls, guard towers, and a central courtyard where the Our Lady of Loreto Chapel stands. The compound includes barracks areas, storage rooms, and officers' quarters that show how a Spanish military outpost was organized.
The fort was founded in 1749 as a military stronghold during Spanish rule in Texas. It played a central role in events of the Texas Revolution and shifted purposes multiple times as political control changed in the region.
The chapel inside the courtyard shows Spanish colonial design with vaulted ceilings and religious artwork from different periods. The rooms reflect how soldiers and their families lived and worshipped together in this place.
The site is easy to reach and offers both day visits and overnight stays in the restored officers' quarters. Wear sturdy shoes since the pathways over the stone fortress are uneven.
The fort is one of the few surviving Spanish colonial buildings in North America and keeps its original eighteenth-century structure intact. This authenticity offers a rare glimpse into the daily reality of early colonial life.
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