Plaza De Armas (Military Plaza)

One of oldest permanently settled locals in Texas, this area was first explored by Spaniards in 1691. The Presidio (Fort) of Bexar was relocated here in 172 and for many years, Plaza was enclosed on three sides by adobe fortifications. During Mexican rebellion of 1813, captured rebels were placed in Comandancie (now old Governer's Palace) and alter executed on Plaza. Many Lynchings also occurred at a great oak here. Military importance of Plaza declined in Republic of Texas Era (1836-45) but place came to be one of the liveliest spots in Texas. A busy market, it teemed with noisy vendors of vegatables, fresh eggs, chili peppers, and live chickens. Oxcarts and wagons stood bulging with hay, hides, and wood. Strolling guitarists,tourists, and girls selling songbirds mingled with pickpockets and other characters. Frequently cock fights were held. After the 1850s, the Plaza was dominated by a stone courthouse (nicknamed the "Bat Cave"). In the 1880s and later, leading merchants here were the "Chili Queens", who dispensed pungent Mexican food at open Air stands. The present City Hall was completed in 1892, and the old market was moved several blocks west. Although no longer a military or commercial center, ancient plaza remains the municipal heart of San Antonio. (1971)

Plaza De Armas (Military Plaza) is a historical marker in San Antonio, Bexar County, dedicated in 1971. It is one of 239 historical markers documented in Bexar County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 542 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.4245, -98.4948 near San Antonio. The nearest cataloged historic site is Jose Francisco Ruiz (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Zero Milestone_Old Spanish Trail, Barbed Wire, and Bexar County under Nine Governments.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5029004046. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.