Landscape Information
Located approximately two miles south of Mission Concepción, Misión San José y San Miguel de Aguayo was established in 1720 and is the largest of the five San Antonio missions. Constructed between 1768 and 1782, the domed church features La Ventana de Rosa (The Rose Window), constructed circa 1775 on its south face, and a grand main entrance surrounded by elaborate sculptures depicting religious figures and scenes on its west. In the 1930s the church was extensively restored by the Works Progress Administration to reflect its original design.
The mission is accessed from the east, where East Pyron Avenue leads from the National Park visitor center (constructed 1995) to the northeast corner of the original rectangular site, which is bordered by a fortified masonry wall. The park-like grounds are primarily composed of grassy lawn with large, sparsely planted shade trees and the archaeological remains of several building foundations. An unpaved path leads visitors along the perimeter of the site. At the northernmost area within the walls are the extant granary, church, and convento (convent). Beyond the north wall lies the gristmill, constructed in 1794 and restored in 1996 to operable use, and remnants of several lime kilns thatpredate the mill. The San José Mission National Historic Site was individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 and is a contributing feature of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, listed in 1978. The four San Antonio Missions, along with the Alamo, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.
