The California
and
Santa Barbara
Missions
in the late 18th and early 19th centuries
Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan order
established a total of 21 missions along the Pacific coast
in the hopes of colonizing the region
and establishing Christianity
among the Native North American population
Junipero Serra
established one mission in Baja California
and the first nine missions in Alta California
but died before realizing his vision for the
Santa Barbara Mission
which was number 10 to be built in the
final chain of 21.
El Camino Real
(Spanish for Royal Road which, while never traveled
by any Spanish royalty, was controlled
by the Spanish crown)
links all 21 missions from
San Diego to Sonoma County.
The historic route is marked along a portion of it's length
(from Los Angeles to Sonoma)
by the bell marker pictured in the photo above.
These are mounted on 11' high
shepherd's crooks.
Today the official California Camino Real route
misses most of the missions and runs
as part of current major highways and
along many major city streets.
the church derived it's architectural elements when
one of the founding Franciscans consulted the work of
a 1st c. BC Roman architect making it
the most elaborate of the California missions
the interior of the sanctuary is covered in
colorful trompe l'oeil.
I thought "Why such a sexy, classical Roman style sculpture in a church?"
turns out
it's the artists version of Jesus
after he'd emerged from the tomb.
who knew?
a carved, painted ceiling "medallion"
with a Benedictine monastery complex in the background,
the full mission as it stands today
built, in part, with help from the Chumash Native American tribe
the Franciscans came to convert.
it is still a working community and the only mission to remain under the
leadership of Franciscan friars since it's inception.
the church is rented by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles parish
the grounds also house an 18th c. cemetery
complete with graves and crypts
and an old and new(er) mausoleum
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