Spanish Governor's Palace
The Spanish Governor's Palace, at 105 Military Plaza in
San Antonio, was constructed in 1749. The name, something
of a misnomer, is traditional; the building was not the
home of the Spanish governor but served as the residence
and headquarters for the local presidio captain. The one-story
masonry structure is built in the Spanish Colonial style;
in the rear is a large patio. A keystone above the entrance
bears the date of construction and the Hapsburg coat of
arms. After the end of Spanish sovereignty, the building
passed into private ownership. In the late 1860s it was
purchased by E. Hermann Altgelt,qv founder of Comfort in
Kendall County. He and his family lived there at various
times, and the property was held by his widow, Emma Murck
Altgelt,qv until the early 1900s. Then the building fell
into a state of disrepair. In 1928 voters in San Antonio
passed a bond issue for the purpose of purchasing and conserving
the building, and in 1929-30 the building was restored under
the supervision of architect Harvey P. Smith.qv Members
of the San Antonio Conservation Society aided in restoring
and furnishing the historic structure. In 1962 the building
was registered as a recorded Texas historic landmark and
is now a national historic landmark. The Spanish Governor's
Palace is maintained by the city of San Antonio as a museum
and is open to the public.
The Governor's Palace is the only remaining example in
Texas of an aristocratic early Spanish house. The keystone
above the front doors, engraved with a double-headed eagle,
a simplified version of the coat of arms of King Ferdinand
VI of Spain and the words, "ano 1749 se acabo."
This was the residence of the presidio captain who represented
the King of Spain in the Governor's absence. The sculpture
of the Conquistador in front of the house was a gift from
Spain in 1977. The structure is the property of the City
of San Antonio and is maintained as a museum by the Parks
and Recreation Department.
The Legend of the Doors
An old timer who says his father related the story
to him, tells a story of the history of Spanish America
as written in the symbols carved on the front door of the
Spanish Governor's Palace . . . (Reading from the top right
side of the door down):
The seashells represent la Nina, la Pinta, and la Santa
Maria as they voyaged from the mother country over the sea.
The dragons represent the dangers encountered by the first
settlers and the baby face represents the new country, America.
The settlers brought with them their arms for protection
and they came into the great land of flowers and plenty
(resources, gold, silver) where they found the indian. (Continuing
on the left hand door reading from the bottom up). The medallion
showing the head of the Spanish Conquistador represents
the Spaniards who came into this land of flowers and plenty
(flower symbols) and by reason of their arms (the shields)
conquered all the dangers (the dragons) including the indians
(mask of Indian Medicine Man) and so these first settlers
won this land for the mother country across the sea.
The Carved Front Door and Chest
The Spanish Governor's Palace was restored in the
early 1930's under the supervison of Archietect Harvey P.
Smith who hired Mansbendel to recreate the doors. Mansbendel
also carved a chest as gift to the State of Texas.
