Mission Concepción

Our recent visit to Mission Concepción in San Antonio was a very peaceful and engaging experience. As one of the best-preserved Spanish colonial missions, its architectural integrity is truly stunning—a highlight being the dome, which remains one of the few original mission domes still intact today. Despite some ongoing restoration efforts visible during our tour, the atmosphere remained remarkably serene and enjoyable. The works were subtle enough not to detract from the spiritual and historical weight of the place. It was near-awe-inspiring to walk through the grounds and reflect on the centuries of history contained within those ancient walls. Mission Concepción offers a unique and tangible connection to the past, making it an essential stop for anyone exploring San Antonio’s rich heritage.

Very well preserved. There was a lot of work going on while we were visiting but still a very beautiful site. A park ranger took us around the grounds explaining different areas. The frescos inside were stunning and still stood out with their bright colors.

The fanciest of the Mission buildings remaining, if you only go to one, I would recommend this one. The architecture is stunning and there is lots of exhibits that explain the history and life of the Mission population.

Ever a tangible reminder of the power of human grit, conquest and faith. History you can touch, smell, and peel. Clean, open restrooms and water fountains despite the government shutdown. Thanks National Park Service.

Admission was free, the world unesco site was worth visiting! Amazing it’s still standing and awesome it’s been preserved. Definitely recommend a visit

Beautiful historical site, with functioning church services on weekends. A must see those interested in their heritage, the atmosphere is serene and spiritual. Truly a historical gem, there is additonal buildings to the rear that are also opened and give information about San Antonio Missions.

Absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. Highly recommend visiting all the missions. Speechless..such a treasure worth preserving.

Tip: if you like taking pictures, save this one for last. We went out early to avoid the afternoon heat but the morning sun doesn’t give the best pics. Something about the front of the church that’s just amazing and deserves some spotlight to make it shine. Check out the artwork on the walls too, so awesome. To note: we traveled with our dog and all the missions were pet friendly but dogs cannot enter the church or any indoor parts so bring someone with you so you can take turns going in. Be sure to remember doggy bags

We discovered Mission Concepción on our trip to San Antonio and were surprised when we discovered that the church at the mission is still used today. The people there were incredibly kind to us and it was amazing seeing how old the area was. You can watch our experience on our channel at https://youtu.be/DYnCHQAK6VU

Mission Concepcion Catholic Church is one of a number of missions on the self-guided Mission Trail outside of San Antonio, Texas. Admission is free to this National Park. In 2015, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in part because it is the oldest unrestored church in the USA. The missions were created by the Spanish government to convert the indigenous people to Christianity and teaching them what they needed to know to become Spanish citizens. Mission Concepcion was establihed in San Antonio in 1731 and is today an active church. All visitors are welcomed to the Sunday Eucharistic litorgic mass for song and prayer. As a National Historical Park, Mission Concepcion is open seven days a week. The church, covent (priest's residences) and limestone quarry are open to view. While once adorned with colorful geometric designs both on the exterior and interior, today the are visible only at selected interior sites. The original frescos are still visible. Auto tours are available and were produced by the City of San Antonio World Heritage Office. I only had a three hour window between professional conferences so I was not able to see the other seven missions.

Free parking and beautiful historical sight, what's not to love! There visitor center was behind the back of the mission. The bathrooms were super clean and the gift shop was super cute. There's even a little cafe to get sandwiches and stuff. Totally recommend stopping by if you love history and are in the area!

This was my first visit to a mission in San Antonio other than the Alamo. Entry and parking are free and you'll see lots of history. Everywhere you stop and look will be signs explaining what you're looking at, dates and history. Hope you have a digital camera with lots of memory or a full charge on your cell phone. This mission is unrestored.

Of 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.

The parking is easy. This mission is a Unesco Heritage site. All the paintings inside, and the benches are original. It's a beautiful, well-maintained, and huge mission. This is the only mission that has double solar illumination that happens every August 15 at 6:30 pm and I was told that even on leaf year. Amazing. I highly recommended visiting this place. I will probably be back on this mission on August 15 to witness the double solar illumination. Have you seen the painting of Mother Mary on St. Francis of Assisi painting?

Beautiful Catholic Mission that still serves the locals. Catholic Mass is offer in both Spanish and English. The Spanish style exterior is beautiful. The small interior of the church is simple, but so beautiful. Restrooms are available.

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.

Kudos to docent Art Valdez for his wonderful storytelling during our visit to Mission Concepción! Art--a San Antonio native, retired Boeing engineer, and descendant of one of the indigenous tribes native to the area--brought the history of Texas, San Antonio, and the Mission to life. At the end of his talk he shared photos and videos of the Church. Outstanding!

Out of the four missions on the south side of San Antonio that make up the World Heritage Site and the National Park System, I would consider this one a medium sized one, just a little smaller than Mission San Jose. Just like the other missions, this one is still a fully operational church. Take your time looking at all the details inside the church. Remember, these were built in the wilderness frontier in the first half of the 1700's. The sanctuary has a beautifully arched ceiling, and if you take a look toward the ceiling at the back of the church, you will notice a small window. On a certain time and day of each year, the sunlight shines through this and is directed on the painting of Jesus Christ which is hung above the altar. Yes, they knew enough about astronomy way back then to know when the sun would be in that certain place and enough to build the church, so the window and the painting were in exactly the right place. In one of the side rooms, take special note of the painting on the ceiling and the tops of the walls (see my photos). The red lines and blue lines represent the "Red Path" and the "Blue Path" that the American Indians of this region believed they had to follow (Google for more information). The sun with the face of the moon within it also has a good story behind it. Notice the face in the moon is the face of a Spaniard. Remember, it was the Spaniard Franciscan monks who built these places with the intention of converting the American Indians to Catholicism. This painting had something to do with that.

Beautiful church. Loved learning about The Mission. The church itself and the grounds are breath taking. Loved that this is a free space to explore.

As far as missions go I can't say I was the best. But it was the second best. Dedicated in 1755, Mission Concepción appears very much as it did over two centuries ago. It stands proudly as the oldest unrestored stone church in America. In its heyday, colorful geometric designs covered its surface, but the patterns have long since faded or been worn away. However, original frescos are still visible in several of the rooms. Nothing about the buildings were spectacular but everything about the building was worth visiting.

Sadly we went while they were doing construction so we couldn't go inside but the church in itself is beautiful. If you like history and architecture it's a sight to check out. It's a part of the different missions national parks. It's a lot smaller than the other ones such as San Juan, so I would start with this one and then go do the other ones. It took us all of 15 mins to walk around a take a couple photos. There was also a family having a picnic in the grass. If you just want to get out of the house and see something cool, check it out.

There are five Missions in San Antonio, all beautiful, historical, compelling, and worthy of a visit. Unfortunately, one very famous Mission, San Antonio de Valero , gets most of the love. It's also known as The Alamo. As with the others (San José, San Juan Capistrano, and Espada), Mission Concepción is great place. Established in 1731, the church at Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purisima Concepción de Acuña remains true to its original design and is the oldest unrestored stone church in the U.S. Because it's made of bedrock, it has remained a sturdy and in-tact church with a lot less upkeep than the other missions. It's biggest selling point? The frescos. Frescos are paintings on lime plaster, and you'll find them throughout inside and even some faded ones on the outside. And they're around 250 years old! The most famous fresco, located on the convent room ceiling, is known as the "Eye of God". According to the Mission, it is likely to be a depiction of God as a mestizo (a man of mixed race, Spanish and indigenous descent). Definitely one of a kind! While there, don't forget to check out the nave (main part of the church), sanctuary, convent, and granary. As with the other missions, Mission Concepción is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, meaning it's the best of world history. Mission Concepción is as important, historic, and dynamic as ... yes, I said it ... The Alamo.

I love to visit as many missions as possible, this is one of the oldest mission I have visited, luckily we were able to walk in and view the inside and appreciate the history of this mission.

This is a smallish mission, but very well preserved. It still has some of the original painted decorations on the walls. There are some basic information plaques giving a bit of history as you walk through. Please be respectful- not only is this a historic landmark, but it is also still being actively used as a Catholic church by the local parish. Overall, this is a good place for a quick visit if you're in the area. Expect to spend no more than maybe 20-40 minutes here.

The church is amazing! Has not changed since the 1700s. A volunteer in the church charmed us with stories about the church. He showed us how the church is laid out like a cross. The right side of the cross has a painting of St. Francis of Assisi, with votive candles. The left side also has candles, but a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The foot of the cross is at the west end, with a baptismal font on the right of the doors into the church. At the head of the cross, the east, the altar sits with a painting of Our Lady, the Immaculate Conception, above it. He told us of a mysterious orb of light that appears at sundown, every August 15, on the feast of the assumption, on the floor, in the center of where the two pieces of the cross meet. Above us, he pointed out four square windows, and on 8/15, a circle of light comes through the west window, illuminating Our Lady's face over the altar. He said that thus has occurred for 300 years! We toured the rest of the mission, and though an audio tour was free on our smartphones, we chose to read the signs.

When you go to visit this UN World Heritage Site, ensure you have a tour guide that can show you the finer points and tell you the stories that history and the weathered building have forgotten. This was a site of an early Republic of Texas rebellion battles led by James Bowie and James Fannin. The fresco of nearly 300 years old is still visible in places. There was some renovation efforts underway as well as restoration of some the fresco works. The grotto is worth a moment of thought or prayer. The interior of the main chapel has a solar alignment illumination to celebrate the feast of the Assumption of Mary on August 15. This is a must see if in the area.

I walked the mission trail on my recent visit to San Antonio, and was able to visit all four of the missions (five if you count The Alamo that I visited the day before). I was very impressed with the way the park service has preserved the churches and kept them restored and viewable for the public. The park rangers were very helpful and informative at each of the locations and were able to provide me with trail maps and advice for my trek. Although it would have been easier to drive between all of them, I do recommend walking if you can, because the river is beautiful and the trail is well done to keep you connected to nature.

Great tiny little mission. Where it's situated it does not appear that the mission is a historical landmark. The building's looks neglected and not a lot of artifacts to look at.

Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña Mission is one of the smaller missions. Progress and urbanization have taken away from it's original size. It is still a beautiful place to visit. The chapel is absolutely inspiring. In several of the rooms the 250 year old frescos still peak through. The church is still used for services as it has been for over 250 years. When visiting the missions this one is worth the stop.

My second stop on the Missions Trail and this mission is probably my favorite! The mission and grounds are just gorgeous and worth taking the time to explore as, like the others, it has been so nicely preserved. It is also a photogenic mission with lots of great shots in and around the mission itself and throughout the grounds! I missed the tour when I got here, but kind of wandered around on my own reading the informational pamphlet from the Visitor's Center. The interior of the church was closed when I arrived so I will have to return to check it out and report back.

The Alamo is the most popular and famous in Missions. Actually, I hadn't known there were other Missions. Mission Concepcion is one of them. When I visited the church, It was empty. But I could see the old stone church. I wanted to go inside. But the door was closed. It was the oldest in Missions. Great church!

One last tourist stop before the end of our San Antonio trip. This one wasn't planned, but figured we'd make the most use of our time before heading to the airport for our flight back home. A beautiful mission. I loved the church. The grounds are beautiful, and absolutely serene on the day we visited (Monday morning). My friend, Carissa U., pointed out the stations of the cross around the church. Every church depicts the stations of the cross in a different way, and it is always fascinating to see how each church does it. I also loved the grotto for the Virgin Mary placed outside the church. It was so beautiful, I had to take a second to breathe and say a quick prayer. Stepping into each area of the church, I could feel the history seeping through the walls, reminding me of all the rich history that out there and available to us to explore and discover.

We weren't able to go inside because we went Sunday morning and a service was going on. The music coming from inside was beautiful! We walked here from Blue Star which was about 6.5 miles round trip! It was a beautiful walk down the river and a great place to stop and take a breather while taking in some beautiful San Antonio history. The grounds are very nicely kept and the information around the property is great!

We truly enjoyed visiting this mission. New to San Antonio we decided to come after reading about it online. Although small it is very beautiful. My kids are 5 and we're very intrigued with the history of this landmark. My favorite part was the little shaded area with rocks where my kids got to blow off some steam and play while I say and enjoyed the nice view.

We went on a little pilgrimage walk/ride of San Antonio Mission Trail. As we neared the city center and the original mission (the Alamo), the surrounding area became more city-like. Franciscan friars moved the mission in 1731 to San Antonio from East Texas. After its relocation most of the people in the mission were Pajalats who spoke a Coahuiltecan language. Roman Catholic Mass is still held every Sunday. This handsome stone church was dedicated in 1755, and appears very much as it did over two centuries ago. It stands proudly as the oldest unrestored stone church in America. In its heyday, colorful geometric designs covered its surface, but the patterns have long since faded or been worn away. However, original frescos are still visible in several of the rooms. Still this is a very good size mission compound if I can call that. There's no existing walls, but the church is still intact. The interior of the church is very nice and impressive. It was a great stop on this trail before we headed to our final stop at the Alamo.

This was the last stop on our mission tour, and was just perfect. It wasn't crowded, but there's not much parking, so the parking lot felt crowded. It was beautiful and serene and seemed like it was right in the middle of town! Like a little quiet place smack dab in the middle of businesses and houses! Okay, maybe not so quiet, as they were doing construction to maybe create more parking? I sure hope so, because when they say very limited parking, they mean very limited parking! We literally just drove around until someone moved (about 15 minutes or so), and then bless their hearts, they weren't very good drivers, and it took them about 10 minutes to pull out of the parking space. I wanted to jump out and help them. That would probably be frowned upon I bet... This place was small, but oh so serene and beautiful. The church area is gorgeous and it was such a needed relaxing and spiritual place. Close your eyes and you can just feel the history surround you. It's a beautiful historical place, and a beautiful church. Definitely not to be missed when you're touring the missions!

This active church is a World Heritage Site, as designated by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization. It's part of the National Parks System and is one of the oldest churches you'll ever go to in the United States. It was built in the early to mid 1700's by the Spanish in the area to convert local Indians into Catholics. This impressive all-stone church has a wonderful dome on the top with a cross up top. The church is fully functional, with regular masses, choral and piano concerts. The areas other than the chapel are run by the Park Service, so they're more about the history of the building. If you look up at the walls and ceilings, you'll see the frescoes, ornate paint jobs that give the place a lively feeling. There's also a visitor's center off to the south of the church, where you can ask the Park Rangers questions, get some books or postcards, and a passport stamp. They also offer air conditioning, bathrooms and a drinking fountain. Over on the other side of the mission is a small altar to the Virgin Mary, which is a good place to get some peace and quiet and reflect on the exterior of the church. This is one of my favorite of the Missions of the Mission Trail. The beautiful church, the gilded altar, and the wonderful architecture make for a great visit. Admission to the park/church are always free. Parking is also free, and a good place to start on the Mission Trail and head southward.

Stunningly beautiful, free to enter, nice informational boards without overwhelming the natural history of the place. It's unrestored, so the ruins have a certain pathos of their own that you wouldn't want to be swamped with modern elements. Plenty of nice bathrooms, and a bikeshare rack right by the visitor center.

I like to think I have yelp minions. "Yinions" a la Despicable Me style because I'm narcissistic. Never mind that you're stingy with the UFCs, it's all in my mind. But real talk, I do search the world for beauty in architecture. This is the Missions Trails most well kept mission. It is stunning in person. Built by the Franciscan friars as a community and not just a church, Mission Concepcion is now just a part of Southtown. If you like, you can attend a bilingual mass on Sundays at 10. Personally, I'd steer clear of the mariachi mass at noon but maybe you're into that. Whatever your religious beliefs are, come by and admire this piece of history. There's a bike rental stand next to it, parking, the trail, and ample of ways for you to Instagram to your heart's content!

We really enjoyed seeing this as the last of the churches we visited on the Mission Trail. It has had some restoration work done and it is very beautiful. The main altar is quite lovely. I'm glad we saw all four churches as it is most difficult to compare one to the other as they are each unique. I would urge you to see all of them as well. It does not take all that long to see them.

Amazing- largely unrestored, which adds to the charm and sense of history. Some original Fresco's are extant, and the access you have is amazing. The grounds are nice, though the derelict (but beautiful as well) buildings behind the mission are sad...I encourage everyone who visits to use the donation system in place to keep this gem open! This is an active church, so lease be respectful?

The Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción is the smallest of the San Antonio missions but for me, it provided the biggest impact - spiritually. Everywhere you look is inspiring; just stare at any well wall and you will be moved emotionally. I want to stay.

Easy to find. Free parking lot. I had to see at least 1 of the 4 missions in San Antonio. Very similar to the ones we have in San Gabriel. Great site to see.

While making our tour of the missions in the area we made our first stop at Mission Concepción. This mission is fairly small, but the building is beautiful and well restored. We enjoyed walking through the grounds as well as sitting in the chapel. We also really loved looking at the parts of the walls where they left the original paint. They also had a lot of information on the history of the mission which was a blast to read. In the end, this was one of our favorite missions that we traveled to. We would recommend this particular mission over some of the others if you are not able to make them all.

We weren't planning on going to see the missions in San Antonio originally, but I'm glad we did! The first on the journey was Mission Concepcion which is a short drive south of the city. The building is immaculate and beautiful, they claim its the most well preserved Mission still standing in the city, and it was neat to see the inside of the cathedral and the faded frescoes painted inside. They had images of what the church would have originally looked like, and they still serve mass every week for those who live nearby. One of the neat things about this cathedral is that the sun comes in through a small window opposite the pulpit one time a year to light up various areas within the church before settling on the face of Mary above the altar. Apparently it's a very majestic sight and one of the men working at the cathedral said it left many in awe and was a key reason for their conversion to Catholicism. Very neat place filled with cool history. If you end up going here I highly recommend also visiting the Mission San Jose just a short drive down the street too!

One of the 4 missions located in the San Antonio Mission NHP. You would think you would get tired by the 2nd or third mission, but each one is so unique and different, that they each one is a must see. Each one has something different for you to encounter and explore. This mission was dedicated in 1755 and not much has changed since then. It is the oldest unrestored stone church in America. It used to have beautiful colorful designs on the outside which have long disappeared. But you can still see some of this beautiful color remaining on the inside frescoes still visible in some of the rooms. There is also a nice shaded cactus garden on the far side of the mission which is serene and quiet to explore.

So it kind of confused me but this is actually "Mission Conception". It's one of the smaller missions along Mission Rd, but it's very beautiful. It isn't as crowded as some of the others so if you just want to see one than stop on by! They still hold masses in the church side so be respectful.

Gorgeous historical landmark! I would give it 5 stars if we were able to go inside. The hours weren't posted either.

There is something so beautiful about the antiquity of this church. It is amazing to see that the structure is still standing even after its completion in 1731. It now belongs to the San Antonio Missions National Park. What is even more remarkable is that Sunday service is still held here! This is really a treat for any tourist and the best part, it is all free. You should definitely come by and visit all the missions!

This place is quite small. It was pretty crowded on a Wednesday. I can't imagine how packed it could get. Yuck. But very pretty. Worth checking out, especially since it's so close to the others. Very small free parking lot, but it looks like they are doing construction to add more.

Wait, I never wrote a review for Mission Conception? Holy Molly! Wow, this is my favorite Mission out of the 4, I think it is because it reminded me my College, I went to a Catholic College. Anyways, if you can make to all four Missions ,please do. If you can only make to two, Mission San Jose and Mission Conception are my two top choices. It is just beautiful.

This is probably the smallest of the missions, with much smaller grounds than Mission San Jose or San Juan. But it has the best restored chapel of all the mission churches. On weekdays, it is a nice, quiet, air conditioned place to pray. Parking is free, and rarely full. It is very convenient to Downtown. Both the 40 Mission bus and the 42 VIA bus stop in front of this mission.

More commonly known as simply "Mission Concepcion," this quaint historical site is anchored by the picturesque (and still-in-use) chapel building. As of December 2012 the site was undergoing some construction renovations, but the chapel building was unobstructed. Great architecture for photographing, but also very interesting history about Our Lady. Visit during early-mid December and learn about Las Posadas to further enhance the reverent experience. We will be coming back every year.

This Mission may not be as grand by the upkeep as Mission San Jose, but I enjoy Mission Concepcion as it brings its own flavor to the world of the Mission Trail. The grounds are maintained, but not as good as Mission San Jose. The interior of the Church I prefer to go with Mission Concepcion only because I feel that it is more intimate with its congregation compared to a big church feel. The downside to me is that their parking is quite limited, so I would say its best to probably bring a bike instead if you come out here. This one is if I'm not mistaken the closest one to the Alamo when I rode my bike here. If you like structural design I would say stop by here if you like to open your mind to the interior design they have made. Only thing I could truthful say is that one should still visit all the Missions since it is part of Texas' history.

Some of the rooms still have some of the original paintings on the walls and they are working to restore the ones that have been lost with time.

Very cool mission, best intact mission in the area. It's small but it was very cool and something to check out if you're in the area. We walked from downtown, round trip, I wouldn't recommend it. Take a cab better yet Uber

A quietly unsung gem a few miles south of downtown. The parking is easy and safe. The National Park Service does a great job with the ambiance.