San Antonio is a picturesque city that is noted for its plazas, numerous parks, spacious residential districts, and many buildings of historic interest. The city itself covers a land area of 862.2 sq km (332.9 sq mi). It is the heart of a metropolitan area, composed of the counties of Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, and Wilson, with a land area of 8616.4 sq km (3326.8 sq mi). Some 34 cities and towns are located in the metropolitan region, most of which are relatively small. Six small cities exist as enclaves within San Antonio itself: Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Castle Hills, Balcones Heights, and Olmos Park.
The narrow upper course of the San Antonio River, spanned by many bridges, winds through the city, making a horseshoe-shaped bend around the central business district. Along its banks in midtown is the Paseo del Rio, or River Walk, a popular walkway with shops and restaurants shaded by large cypress and palm trees. Scenic excursions aboard small riverboats through the district is one of the city's premier activities for visitors. HemisFair Plaza, site of a world's fair in 1968 celebrating the city's 250th anniversary, adjoins the river. The site of downtown recreation and entertainment, the plaza contains a convention center and the Tower of the Americas, a spire 190 m (622 ft) high that affords panoramic views of the city. The river winds past La Villita, or The Little Village, a complex of restored buildings from the city's earliest residential settlement and now an arts and crafts community. To the west of downtown San Antonio is Market Square, patterned after markets in Mexico. Immediately south of downtown, along the river, is the King William District, an area settled in the 19th century by wealthy Germans and noted for its unique architecture.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. San Antonio Information info
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