Scottish Rite Cathedral, Masonic temple in San Antonio, United States.
The Scottish Rite Cathedral at 308 Avenue E is a 5.5-story Classical Revival temple with a gabled front portico and Corinthian columns. Its facade carries a terracotta frieze, and the entrance holds sculpted bronze doors by Pompeo Coppini bearing portraits of George Washington and Sam Houston. The photographs show the inscription "SCOTTISH RITE CATHEDRAL" below a pediment with a circular emblem, and "SPES MEA IN DEO EST" over the recessed entrance.
Construction began in 1922 and was completed in 1924 at a cost of $1.5 million, giving San Antonio a 5.5-story Classical Revival temple at 308 Avenue E. It was built as headquarters and meeting place for Scottish Rite Masonry in San Antonio and the South Texas Region. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
The building's name comes from the Scottish Rite, a branch of Freemasonry whose San Antonio consistory has met here since 1924. The 2,200-seat auditorium became the home of the San Antonio Philharmonic in October 2024, sharing the venue with Masonic meetings. The bronze doors by Pompeo Coppini, a 32nd-degree member of the consistory, carry portraits of George Washington and Sam Houston.
The cathedral stands at 308 Avenue E in San Antonio, and its 2,200-seat auditorium became the home of the San Antonio Philharmonic in October 2024. The building lacked ADA-compliant accessibility at the time of that agreement, with improvements planned as part of a $5–10 million modernization. Check access arrangements before attending a concert.
The bronze entrance doors were sculpted by Pompeo Coppini, a 32nd-degree member of the San Antonio Consistory, and carry portraits of George Washington and Sam Houston. Coppini was among the honored guests who spoke at the doors' dedication and installation on November 15, 1926.
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