In the heart of the King William National Historic District is one of San Antonio's newest attractions, the Villa Finale house museum.
This 6,500 square-foot house, built in1876, displays an amazing collection of more than 12,000 fine and decorative objects from Europe and America.
Walter Mathis restored this home at 401 King William Street and lived there for nearly 40 years, using the house to showcase his extensive collections. Mathis called the house Villa Finale, saying that it would be his last home.
After the death of Mathis, the house became the first National Historic Trust property in Texas. After some restoration and cataloging, Villa Finale was opened to the public in October of 2010, with everything displayed just as Mathis left it.
The items in the house vary widely and include artwork, silver, china, antique furnishings, stickpins, icons, and much more, all artfully displayed. Mathis especially enjoyed collecting memorabilia reflecting the life and death of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Several 45-minute tours of Villa Finale are offered each day, with each limited to 6 people. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the tour is that visitors can walk throughout most rooms, examining items in detail, rather than peering in from the doorway.
Visits begin at the Villa Finale visitor center at 122 Madison, on the corner of Madison and Turner. Visit http://villafinale.org for more information about Villa Finale and call ahead for tour reservations at 210-223-9800 ext. 34328.
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