Bexar County Courthouse

Why go

Its heavy stonework and varied roofline make Main Plaza's late nineteenth-century civic architecture easy to read from outside. From the plaza, compare the red sandstone, granite, colored roof tiles and restored south elevation with the cathedral across this shared public space.

What to look for

• Red sandstone gives the building its distinctive color.
• Granite and colored roof tiles add detail to the Romanesque Revival design.
• The restored south elevation is visible from Main Plaza.

The full story

Designed by J. Riely Gordon, the Bexar County Courthouse was completed in 1896 and remains a working county building. Its continuing civic role is a useful way to read it: this is not simply a preserved façade placed on Main Plaza. The Romanesque Revival design uses red sandstone for a strong overall color, with granite and colored roof tiles adding material contrast. The restored south elevation can be seen from the plaza, where the courthouse shares a setting with San Fernando Cathedral. Look across that space before studying the details. The two buildings make different kinds of public life visible, one civic and one religious. The courthouse is best treated as an exterior architecture stop, since routine interior sightseeing access is not established. Its façade and roofline give plenty to examine without entering.

Useful to know

• View the courthouse from Main Plaza to take in its full façade and its relationship with the cathedral.
• Treat it as an exterior architecture stop; routine interior sightseeing access is not established.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.