The Moorish entrance of Mission Espada. A wooden cross beside the door is a reminder of the efficacy of prayer.
Nestled in a thick grove of tall hackberry and pecan trees, stands Mission San Juan Capistrano. Founded in 1731, this Mission is less imposing than the others in the area. San Juan Capistrano followed the plan typical of the other missions, with an enclosed area containing all the buildings. Although in ruins, the original boundaries and foundations can still be seen. Unlike other missions the main buildings formed part of the rampart walls.
Of the chapel interior of San Juan Capistrano, the outer walls, the three wooden statues and a few odd items represent the original mission.
Looking through the entrance gate into “La Villita”, a restored settlement of the oldest remaining residential section of the city. It was started about 1722 shortly after the establishment of the presidio San Antonio de Bejar.
The houses in La Villita are built of rock and adobe. The residents were mostly soldiers, many of whom had intermarried with the Indians, and their families. A feeling of class distinction was created in 1731 with the coming of the Canary Islanders, who considered themselves of noble lineage. The Islanders established their own settlement and refused to have any relations with those living in La Villita.