St. Joseph Catholic Church, Catholic church in downtown San Antonio, Texas, United States
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Gothic Revival church in downtown San Antonio, Texas. Its facade is built of light tan stone blocks, with a central pointed arch doorway, a small round window above, and thin pointed arch windows on either side. A square tower rises above, topped by a dark, steeply pitched spire with small pinnacles at the corners.
The cornerstone was laid in 1868, and the church was completed in 1871 to serve German immigrants. In 1944, parishioners refused to sell the land to a developer, so the shopping mall was built around the church instead.
Locals often call the church St. Joske's, a nickname that recalls how a department store was built around it. Today the parish serves a multicultural community, and Spanish-language masses are held with mariachi music, while the San Antonio Liederkranz sings once a month.
The church sits on East Commerce Street, close to the River Walk and the Shops at Rivercenter, so you can easily visit on foot while exploring downtown. It is an active parish, so check the entrance times and be respectful if a service is taking place.
The church stands as a rare example of a holdout building, completely surrounded by a shopping mall on three sides. It is also believed to occupy the second site of the Mission San Antonio de Valero, later known as the Alamo, before it was moved in 1724.
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