Select a Mission. Mission San Juan Capistrano Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Carmelo Mission Santa Bárbara Mission San Miguel Arcángel Mission San Diego de Alcalá Mission San Francisco Solano Mission San José Mission San Juan Bautista Mission San Antonio de Padua Mission San Fernando Rey de España Mission Santa Cruz Mission La Purísima Concepción Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Mission San Francisco de Asis Mission Santa Clara Mission San Luis Rey de Francia Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad Mission San Rafael Arcángel Mission San Buenaventura Mission Santa Inés Mission San Gabriel Arcángel Mission San Juan Capistrano The San Juan Capistrano Mission was founded by Father Junípero Serra in 1776. Referred to as “The Jewel of the Missions,“ it is perhaps the best known of all the missions. The most famous feature of the mission are the swallows (Las Golandrinas) who return every year on March 19, “St. Joseph's Day“ to build their mud nests for the annual brood. The original stone church, completed in 1806, was built in the shape of a cross and had vaulted ceilings, seven domes, and four bells elevated in a 120 foot tall tower. After only six years, a severe earthquake destroyed the church and the bell tower. The little original adobe church, called “Father Serra's Chapel“ was restored and continues today as a parish church. The miniature San Juan Capistrano Mission is a combination of the old original church as it was, and the present day chapel and ruins. Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Carmelo Carmel Mission was the second mission founded by Father Junipero Serra in California. Considered by many to be the most beautiful of all the California missions, it was founded in 1770 by Monterey Bay. In its beautiful setting against the sea and river, and with its strong sense of history, and appealing architecture, Carmel Mission satisfies the visitor and student as no other mission can. Father Serra made his headquarters at Carmel Mission, and looked after the growing chain of missions until his death in 1784. He is buried within the walls of the original adobe church, around which the new stone church was built in 1793. Restoration of the mission, as it is seen today, was begun in 1930. Early architectural influence from Spain is exemplified by the Moorish tower and beautiful star window seen in both the Mission de Oro miniature and the real life mission. The miniature Carmel Mission is part of the Mission de Oro Collection of miniature missions created for Cameo Guild Studios by sculptor, Alvin Cabral. Mission Santa Bárbara Mission Santa Bárbara was the tenth mission founded in the California mission chain. Although Father Serra dedicated the site in 1782, delays caused this Mission to be constructed after his death. Father Fermin Lasuen, who succeeded Father Serra, had the honor of actually founding the Santa Barbara Mission in 1784. This was the first of three missions planned for the Channel Islands area. Today, the mission looks much as it did when it was completed in 1820. Before that, three earlier churches on the site were all leveled by earthquakes. Besides the beauty of the church itself, with stately lines and Roman temple facade, it was and is noted for an elaborate water system of dams, reservoirs, and aqueducts. The only California mission with two similar towers, it is known as the “The Queen of Missions.“ The miniature contains all features which make Santa Barbara Mission a favorite. Mission San Miguel Arcángel San Miguel Mission, sixteenth in the chain of California missions, was founded in 1797 by Father Lasuen. This location was chosen to fill the gap between San Antonio de Padua Mission and San Luis Obispo Mission. San Miguel today has one of the better preserved interiors of all the missions. The church measures 144 feet long by 40 feet high and has 28 sugar pine rafter beams in the ceiling. The walls are covered with brightly colored murals showing false perspective, and trompe l'oeil pillars, balconies and designs of leaves and tassels. Above the altar is an “all-seeing eye of God“ with its rays of light shining in all directions. The everlasting glow of color, which has withstood both the passage of time and the attempts of restorers, is due to techniques used in early days. The paint was either applied with a glue made of cattle bones or painted fresco-style on damp plaster. The miniature San Miguel Mission shows the unusual arcade, with each arch slightly different in size, just like the life-sized building. Mission San Diego de Alcalá Mission San Diego de Alcalá, first in the chain of California missions, was founded in 1769 after an expedition from the south that brought great hardship and an enormous loss of lives. The decided band of religious and military Spaniards finally succeeded in establishing this first of three missions planned in Alta (Upper) California to hold the northern frontier from advancing Russians. The Mission San Diego was restored in 1931 to the way it looks today. The front of the church is very plain- perhaps the simplest of all the missions in the chain. The attached wall, called a campanario, which rises above the mission gardens is strikingly beautiful, and is, perhaps, one of the most beautiful of all missions. In the Mission de Oro Collection, a miniature replica of this outstanding architectural feature has been used for the Dealer display plaque. Mission San Francisco Solano San Francisco Solano Mission in Sonoma was the last to be founded, in 1823, and the northernmost. It was located so far north by the last of the Spanish Franciscans, Father Jose Altimira, to help push the Russians out of the area. After all the fears, the Russians surprised everyone by donating a bell and other copper utensils. Father Altimira hoped that a warmer, sunnier site away from the cold and dampness of the Bay Area would keep the Indian converts healthier. However, it served as a mission for only a short time. Secularization overtook the mission and it later became an ordinary parish church. Today, it is a state historical park with a small museum. The Mission de Oro miniature is the same as the mission chapel erected in the early 1840's. Mission San José Mission San José, fourteenth mission in the chain, was founded by Father Lasuen in 1797. Originally planned as a base for military operations to control the troublesome tribes of the inland valleys, it eventually became one of the most successful missions in the entire chain. From the number of converts to the size of livestock holdings and agriculture production, the mission was ranked third. Mission San José also became known for its music. Father Narciso Duran worked for 27 years at the mission. He excelled at music and organized an elaborate Indian orchestra. The mission later became a parish church. A complete restoration, using real adobe bricks and other methods and tools that gave an authentic appearance of style of the 1830's, was finally completed in 1985. The 1830's styling is also seen in the Mission de Oro miniature. Mission San Juan Bautista Mission San Juan Bautista was founded in 1797 and was fifteenth in the chain. Named after John the Baptist, the mission is located in the town of San Juan Bautista, north of Salinas. The new church grew extremely well from the beginning. More and more buildings were added to accommodate the large numbers of converts. Earthquakes damaged the buildings numerous times and finally the founding padres constructed buildings with earthquakes in mind. Unbeknownst to these early padres, their mission was located on the edge of the infamous and most destructive California earthquake fault, the San Andreas. Early decoration features, including colorful reredos are still visible today. Visitors can get an idea of what the early mission and community looked like as a result of the restoration efforts of the original buildings in the village by the State of California and private groups in 1939. The cemetery wall overlooks one of the few remaining sections of the original north-south highway, which joined all the missions, El Camino Real. Mission San Antonio de Padua Mission San Antonio de Padua was the third mission to be founded in the chain, after San Diego and Monterey (which moved to Carmel.) The site, south of Monterey, had been chosen earlier and Father Serra lost no time in returning to the area to begin establishing San Antonio. This was a successful mission from its beginning and in its prime was the home of thirteen hundred Indians. An extensive water system of dams, aqueducts, and reservoirs for the water from the nearby river contributed greatly to the success of this mission. Much of this water system is still visible today. Later, the mission was abandoned and for forty-six years was plundered of all usable construction materials. Almost completely restored today, it spreads out beautifully in the middle of the oak-studded valley. Travelers can delight in the spaciousness that characterized all of the missions at the height of their success. The San Antonio Mission and the hills surrounding it are a special place to see spring wildflowers, one of the joys of California's open areas. Mission San Fernando Rey de España Mission San Fernando Rey de España was founded in 1797, the seventeenth mission in the chain. The location in San Fernando was a prime spot, along the main highway leading to Los Angeles. This made it a convenient resting place for weary travelers. After the first buildings were completed, more and more buildings had to be added to accommodate the large numbers of visitors looking for lodging. The Indians were friendly in the area and during the most prosperous time, over a thousand converts lived at the mission. Good soil and abundant water in the valley provided great potential for good agricultural development. Although a bounty of olives, fruits, nuts, dates and field crops were produced by the mission, the development of agriculture did not prove to be as successful as originally hoped. The mission has been through a turbulent history of politics and power struggles. The buildings gradually fell into disrepair. Today, the mission is being restored and is a pleasant and fascinating place to visit. Mission Santa Cruz Mission Santa Cruz, located in Santa Cruz on the coast, was the twelfth mission in the chain. It was founded in 1791. Although started in favorable conditions, a series of misfortunes prevented Mission Santa Cruz from real success and prosperity. The total population of the mission reached five hundred at its height. The greatest problem was the nearby pueblo, which was colonized by vagabonds and criminals. These early colonists were the opposite of “upright, God-fearing men“. The whole situation put a strain on the padres trying to convert the local Indians. All the original buildings have disappeared except for one adobe building, which had been a soldier's barracks. In 1931, a one-third sized replica of the original mission was completed. The small museum has relics of the early mission days and a collection of beautiful vestments worn by the padres. At one time, Santa Cruz mission had ten mission bells, valued at more than any others in the chain. The whereabouts of these bells remains a mystery. Mission La Purísima Concepción Mission La Purísima Concepción, located in Lompoc, was founded in 1787. Eleventh in the chain of missions, the mission was situated in a rich and fertile valley. In three years, with cooperative and intelligent Indians, the mission was prospering. After celebrating its 25th anniversary, the mission suffered terrible earthquakes, torrential rainstorms and a flood that destroyed all the early buildings. Another site, four miles away, was chosen for a new and better mission. Prosperity came again for a period of ten years. Then, misfortune came again-drought, fire, starving sheep and finally, a revolt of the Indians. Secularization came soon after and the mission lapsed into ruin. Today, La Purísima Mission belongs to the National Park Service. It has been more completely restored than any other mission. Much of the original appearance of the site can also be seen in the Mission de Oro miniature mission. If an interested traveler wishes to understand what mission life was like, La Purísima is the mission to visit. Tours and information are readily available. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Mission San Luis Obispo, founded by Father Serra in 1772, was fifth in the chain. The area where it was located was crowded with bears and had been named “The Valley of the Bears“ by Portola in an early expedition. Father Serra had been impressed by the cordiality of the Indians there and decided it to be a good location for a new mission. Other groups of Indians who lived south of the mission did not have such good dispositions. After three times having the buildings afire by these Indians, the padres began to experiment and finally developed red roofing tiles, similar to what they remembered from Europe, which all the missions quickly copied. Besides giving the missions protection from fire raids, the tile roof also kept the building interiors shielded from the rains. Now a parish church, Mission San Luis Obispo was restored in 1934 to its early grace and beauty, exemplified also in the miniature mission in the Mission de Oro Collection. Mission San Francisco de Asis Mission San Francisco de Asis, popularly called Dolores Mission, is located on San Francisco Bay. This mission was founded in 1776. Sixth in the chain of missions, it was founded at the same time as the presidio and the pueblo. The town, which eventually became San Francisco, was known as Yerba Buena. Although baptisms of Indians reached a relatively high number, activities at the mission were hindered by disaster and attrition. The damp climate and foggy weather caused poor agricultural output, and serious illnesses of the Indians. Because of the attractive life enjoyed by many of the other Indians who lived in the area, runaway Indian converts were probably the biggest problem for the padres at the mission. The church as it appears today is a much loved, familiar landmark to the people of San Francisco. It was rebuilt in 1791, and remains little changed today. The Mission de Oro Collection miniature looks the same as the mission church does today. Mission Santa Clara Mission Santa Clara, located in Santa Clara, approximately 40 miles southeast of San Francisco, was the eighth mission in the chain. Founded in 1777 by Father Serra, the mission was important as the second of two settlements placed near the great San Francisco port to protect it from enemy attack or occupation. The Indians in the area were friendly but spent their time at thievery-playing a game to see how much they could steal from the mission without being caught. Mission Santa Clara is located on the grounds of the University of Santa Clara. The university is the only one in the state affiliated with a mission due to a relationship, which goes back to 1851, when the school was first established in the neglected remains of the church. The present day mission is a mix of new and restored buildings. Olive trees planted by the first padres still grow in the gardens inside the adobe walls. These gardens at Mission Santa Clara contain more of the original flora than at any other mission. Mission San Luis Rey de Francia Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was founded as the eighteenth mission in 1798. Located in the town of San Luis Rey in a quiet inland valley, the mission closed the critical gap between San Diego and San Juan Capistrano. Described as “gracious, dignified, and expressive,“ the mission church is an excellent example of what could be created with the help of Indian craftsmen when guided by a talented mission father. Father Antonio Peyri was in charge from the day it was founded, to the sad time of its secularization, thirty-six years later. Mission San Luis Rey was the largest and most populous of all the missions. The plan of the church was cruciform, a structure design used at only one other mission, San Juan Capistrano. One interesting feature of the early mission was an elaborate sunken garden built in a little valley below the mission. Exotic fruits and shrubs grew there. Today, the area is being excavated and may someday be restored to its original state. The first California Pepper tree, now a common sight throughout the state, was planted at this mission. Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, was founded thirteenth in the chain of missions, in 1791. Located in a lonely, desolated site in the Salinas Valley, the mission survived under very difficult weather conditions. Besides that, the area was either damaged by floods, whipped by non-stop winds or made to suffer through very dry periods. Mission Soledad became very prosperous even with all the adverse conditions. This was due almost completely to the fertile land in the valley. Agricultural production was high, and the livestock numbers were high. The period of prosperity was fairly short and misfortune settled in on the mission. Many Indians died from disease, flood after flood wiped out the mission buildings and one by one the leaders died. The ruins of the mission sat untouched for over one hundred years. Finally, in 1954, the Native Daughters of the Golden West started a restoration project for the mission and started a small museum. The former lonely place of desolation has become a charming oasis. Mission San Rafael Arcángel Mission San Rafael Arcángel was first founded as a convalescent hospital for the ailing Indian converts from the nearby Dolores Mission (San Francisco de Asis). A warm, sheltered place was necessary for the Indians, made sick by the cold and damp climate of Dolores Mission, to regain their health. The original plan was not to found another mission, but the threat of the Russians in the area, including a settlement at Bodega Bay, was encouragement enough to raise the status from an infirmary to a mission. After a short-lived existence, the adobe buildings began to disintegrate. The remaining parts of buildings were stripped for their wood. Finally, all traces of the original buildings were lost, having been replaced by a parish church. In the last few years, a replica of the original mission church has been constructed, with a simple doorway under a star window. A mission bell hangs from a wooden frame just outside the door. These features can also be seen on the Mission de Oro miniature. Mission San Buenaventura Mission San Buenaventura, located in Ventura, was founded in 1782, by Father Serra. This is the ninth mission in the chain and the last to be founded by Father Serra before his death. For the most part, this was a prosperous mission. Set in an area with an excellent climate and good soil, the mission fathers devised an irrigation system which provided for luxurious gardens around the mission. Besides the standard fruits, vegetables and grains, great quantities of exotic fruits were among the crops. The nearby Indian villages were populated with Chumash Indians, who were friendly, artistic and industrious. Although these Indians gladly helped with the construction of the buildings necessary to get the mission going, they did not want to give up their freedom and move inside the walls. Much of the original interior decoration by the Indians was covered up by so-called “improvements“ in 1893. A restoration project in 1959 restored the mission church to approximately its original form. Mission Santa Inés Mission Santa Inés, founded in 1804, was the nineteenth mission dedicated. It completed the chain between San Francisco and San Diego. The mission's inland location in a fertile valley allowed for prosperity and rapid expansion. It became known for its large herds of livestock and its rich crops. Travelers were rare at Mission Santa Inés because of the considerable distance from the highway, El Camino Real. The first buildings were destroyed in 1812 by earthquakes. Rebuilding was completed in 1817. Today, the visitor sees the church as it was completed then. The church building is a simple design. Indian murals can still be seen inside the church. A museum is maintained with many artifacts, painting and sculptures. The charming simplicity of the mission is seen also in the miniature from the Mission de Oro Collection. Mission San Gabriel Arcángel Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, founded in 1771, was fourth in the mission chain. The church was an impressive structure in the Moorish style. A side campanario, or side bell wall, holds six magnificent bells. The mission, at the height of existence, had no rivals in all of its various enterprises. In wine making, grain production, fruit production and the like, the mission stayed well ahead of the rest. The first cemetery in Los Angeles County is located at San Gabriel Mission and it includes a large crucifix memorial honoring more than 5,600 Gabrieleno-Tongva Indians, more than 80 Claretian Missionary fathers and others. San Gabriel mission celebrates its founding on Sept. 8, 1771 with its annual fiesta on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend. There are religious, cultural and historical events at the mission to commemorate the event. Today the mission is the most informative for travelers in the Los Angeles area.
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