You can find Alamo replicas all across the city. From restaurants to business and even in public parks.
SAN ANTONIO — The Alamo is undoubtedly the most recognizable and photographed structure in San Antonio. But its shape is not unique.
Around the Alamo City, there are nearly a dozen structures that pay homage to the cradle of Texas liberty.
The BioBridge Global building is a dead ringer for the original. In fact, it so closely resembles the shrine it could have fooled Santa Ana.
“We understand that they worked with the curators of the Alamo downtown and got their blessing for that and tried to make it as authentic as they could. It’s one foot shorter, though, than the Alamo downtown, said Mary Uhlig with BioBridge Global.
Uhlig says this Alamo was originally built for the Alamo Federal Credit Union 26 years ago. It’s now the home of BioBridge Global, parent company of the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.
Even though it’s tucked away in a quiet northwest San Antonio business park, its looks still draw attention.
“It’s something that we really enjoy for getting photos of our employees. We often get them here in front of this building. Some of the limestone detailing, the front door, if you go downtown to the Alamo, you’ll recognize a lot of it, it looks very similar, Uhlig said.
Meanwhile, the faithful have gathered in the St. Anthony de Padua Parish since the 1920s. With their congregation growing, the community of Cementville wanted to pay tribute to their city and its patron saint namesake.
Their prayers were answered in the 1950s when the National Shrine of St. Anthony was erected and dubbed “the new Alamo,” fulfilling the vision of the church’s founding pastor, Father Peter Baque.
“The Alamo was the only mission church that was not restored as a church of worship,” said Father Kevin Shanahan.
Shanahan says the church’s congregation loves their history and enjoys sharing their own Alamo with friends and with visitors from around the world.
“It’s amazing.” said Parishioner John Elizondo. “When we tell people about our church and the one thing we stress is the mass itself. It looks like the Alamo. It’s a great feeling.”
You can find Alamo replicas all across the city. From restaurants to business and even in public parks.
The Woodlawn Lake Park gym has also served the community since 1929.
“It’s remarkable. It’s still beautiful. It still carries with it the signature of the Alamo, which marks us as San Antonio,” said Dr. Kent Hamilton.
These tributes to the Texas shrine have cast a long shadow over the city for decades, carrying a reminder to people that the Alamo is truly San Antonio’s own.