THE ALAMO MISSION - FORT ALAMO

Visitors to San Antonio must visit the Alamo, as it is an integral part of the Texas identity. In addition to its small gardens, there are two main buildings to see: the temple and the stone museum, which houses numerous objects relating to the famous battle.

Every year, more than 2.5 million visitors come to this site, where a small band of revolutionary Texans valiantly defended the Christian mission against the onslaught of Mexican troops. But by March 6, 1836, not a single Texan soldier was left alive. History records that all perished after 13 days of fighting. Since then, this episode in the state's history has come to symbolize courage and the spirit of sacrifice in defense of freedom. It had a profound impact on the independence movements that were stirring up this region of the United States at the time, and had the effect of strengthening revolutionary aspirations. A few days later, on April 21, when General Sam Houston addressed his men shortly before fighting the same Mexican troops at the Battle of San Jacinto, he knew how to motivate his soldiers by shouting: "Remember the Alamo". The Alamo was originally called San Antonio de Valero. Today, it remains one of the oldest monuments in Texas. Its construction dates back to April 1718, when the Spanish Crown, backed by the Papacy, decided to set up a mission in this part of North America to support its expansionist plans. The governor of Spanish Texas, Martín Alarcón, soon had a few houses built to form a community called San Antonio de Bexar. After a few months, the authorities realized that the mission was located on the wrong side of the river and was therefore often flooded. A transfer was made. San Antonio de Valero changed banks, but was destroyed by a terrible hurricane in 1724. It was eventually rebuilt on the other side of the river, facing San Antonio de Bexar, where it stands today.

The following years saw its extension. A large two-storey stone building was erected as a residence for the priests. It overlooked a veritable self-sufficient village. Over 300 Indian converts lived on the site. All residents, priests and civilians alike, spend long hours tending livestock and growing vegetables. Curiously, the church was never completed, as its original plans testify. As the mission expanded, increasingly resistant materials were used in construction. Walls protected the homes of Indian converts, perceived as traitors by certain outside tribes. Little by little, the mission militarized its defense. At the end of the ^18th century, it was equipped with several cannons to respond to possible attacks. In the meantime, however, it had lost its men. The nearly 2,000 natives who lived there in the late 1780s were forced to leave following an agricultural reform that no longer allowed the mission to own as many head of cattle. It lost all influence over the region and was gradually abandoned.

What remained were the walls, which were taken over by the local army in 1806 and used as a prison. Fierce opponents of independence were locked up there. San Antonio de Valero became the Alamo. The army also used it as a medical center. In 1821, once Mexican independence had been established, the Alamo was no longer Spanish. It became Fort Alamo, with new military installations. It remained in Mexican hands until 1835, when it was seized by Texan independence fighters. Their control of the site was short-lived, however, as Mexican troops crushed them in March 1836.

This must-see tour is highly entertaining, with military personnel in period costume at the entrance. Then there are outdoor tables with historians who can tell you what life was like in the early ^19th century. An exhibition center, the Ralston Family Collections, features plans and artifacts that trace the history of the Alamo. Guns from the same era are also on display outside. Round off your visit in the gift shop, with an assortment of cowboy hats, T-shirts, history books, water bottles and all sorts of nice souvenirs to bring back from your trip.

In recent years, there have been several debates surrounding the "myth" of the Battle of the Alamo. Be careful not to mention it in front of your guide, who might disagree. Some historians say that the story of the Alamo has been romanticized for 200 years to embellish the heroism of its soldiers and the history of Texas and the United States. It's time to face reality, they say. It is said that William Travis never drew a line in the sand (this was a tale concocted by an amateur historian in the late ^19th century). There is no evidence that Davy Crockett ever fought, as John Wayne did in his 1960 film The Alamo, a great film but a source of misinformation. In fact, there are many accounts by Mexican soldiers that Crockett surrendered to the Mexicans and was executed. It's up to you to find out and make up your own mind.