THE SITE: Mission San Diego de Alcala
With its peaceful gardens and courtyards, shady alcoves and tranquil sanctuary, Mission San Diego de Alcala has come a long way from its tumultuous early history.
Founded in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra, Mission San Diego, also known as the “mother of missions,” was the first of 21 established along California's coast by Franciscan friars.
Originally situated on a hill near Old Town, the mission was rebuilt five years later farther east and closer to the San Diego River for a steadier supply of water, among other reasons.
But after just one year on the new site, the mission was attacked by American Indians who killed a padre and burned the church to the ground.
In 1846, U.S. Cavalry soldiers decided to use the rebuilt church as a barracks, stabling horses on the first floor and living on the second level. The mission was later abandoned for years and slowly fell to ruin again.
Today it's a museum, cultural center and active Catholic parish.
Set on a hill along San Diego Mission Road, the small compound includes former living quarters, workshops, the church and a separate sanctuary.
A visit can occupy 15 minutes or more than an hour depending on the pace you take along the self-guided tour. Among the highlights is a small museum that includes photographs and artifacts.
More than 1,000 University of San Diego history students have conducted excavations over the years, unearthing items from its earliest days. The museum's display includes pottery and baskets from the Kumeyaay Indians as well as hand-carved, gilded wooden religious statues from the 1700s.
The repeatedly restored structure includes original floor tiles from the 1813 rebuilding of the structure, as well as mission statues dating back to the 1700s.
Two of the mission's original bells are on display in the campanario, thanks to a local Catholic priest who made it his personal project in the early 1900s to restore the mission. After an exhaustive search, one bell was found in a chapel in Old Town and one was found on a San Diego military base, where it was being used to summon troops for dinner.
LOCATION: 10818 San Diego Mission Road.
HOURS: Open daily from 9 a.m. until 4:45 p.m.
COST: Suggested donation is $3 for adults; $2 for seniors and students; and $1 for children younger than 12.
INFORMATION: missionsandiego.com
