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| 3271 The chapel of the Alamo Mission, known as the "Shrine of Texas Liberty". |
The San Antonio Missions are a group of five frontier mission complexes situated along a stretch of the San Antonio River basin in southern Texas, as well as a ranch located 37 kilometres to the south. It includes architectural and archaeological structures, farmlands (labores), cattle grounds (ranchos), residencies, churches, workshops, kilns, wells, perimeter walls and granaries, as well as water distribution systems. The complexes were built by Franciscan missionaries in the 18th century and illustrate the Spanish Crown’s efforts to colonize, evangelize and defend the northern frontier of New Spain.
The San Antonio Missions are also an example of the interweaving of Spanish and Coahuiltecan cultures, illustrated by a variety of features, including the decorative elements of churches, which combine Catholic symbols with indigenous designs inspired by nature. The enclosed layout of each mission complex and their proximity to each other, the widespread sharing of knowledge and skills among their inhabitants, and the early adoption of a common language and religion resulted in a people and culture with an identity neither wholly indigenous nor wholly Spanish that has proven exceptionally persistent and pervasive.
The Alamo Mission in San Antonio (Misión de Álamo), commonly called The Alamo and originally known as the Misión San Antonio de Valero, is a historic Spanish mission and fortress compound founded in the 18th century by missionaries in what is now San Antonio. It was secularized in 1793 and then abandoned. Ten years later, it became a fortress housing the Second Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras military unit. During the Texas Revolution, Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cos surrendered the fort to the Texian Army in December 1835, following the Siege of Béxar.
A relatively small number of Texian soldiers then occupied the compound for several months. The defenders were wiped out at the Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836. That's why the chapel of the Alamo Mission is known as the "Shrine of Texas Liberty". As the Mexican Army retreated from Texas several months later, they tore down many of the Alamo walls and burned some of the buildings. For the next five years, the Alamo was periodically used to garrison soldiers, both Texian and Mexican, but was ultimately abandoned.
In 1849, several years after Texas was annexed to the United States, the U.S. Army began renting the facility for use as a quartermaster's depot, before again abandoning the mission in 1876 after nearby Fort Sam Houston was established. The Alamo chapel was sold to the state of Texas, which conducted occasional tours but made no effort to restore it. The remaining buildings were sold to a mercantile company which operated them as a wholesale grocery store.Before 1936, when was celebrated was the centennial of the battle, the entire Alamo complex was renovated, expanded and converted into a park-like setting as a memorial to those who died.
About the stamp
The stamp, Green Succulent, issued on April 28, 2017, is a Global Forever International rate stamp, which can be used to mail a 1-ounce letter to any country where First-Class Mail International service is available. The stamp features a photograph of an Echeveria, a succulent native to the Americas. Greg Breeding designed the stamp using an existing photograph by Erika Kirkpatrick.
References
San Antonio Missions - UNESCO official website
Alamo Mission in San Antonio - Wikipedia
The Alamo - Official website
Sender: Denise
Sent from San Antonio (Texas / United States), on 21.08.2018
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