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THINGS
TO DO IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
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Mission
San Luis Rey Oceanside
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By Matthew
Martz |
Located
in Oceanside is an amazing look in to the states historic
beginnings before statehood, as missions where established
by Spanish priests to bring faith to the natives. In
total, 21 were built along the California cost and Mission
San Luis Rey de Francia is widely regarded as one of
the most beautiful and important.
The mission offers several distinct and unique features.
The Church is a National Historic Landmark and is open
daily to visitors. Construction began in 1811 and was
completed in 1815. The ceiling rises 30 feet in height,
and the floor is 165 foot long and 27 foot wide and
consists of adobe, lime plaster, wooden timbers, fired
clay bricks, and roof tiles as primary building materials.
Architecturally, the style is Spanish Colonial combined
with Baroque and Classical styles with some Moorish
influences present. The solitary bell tower is a lofty
75 feet high.
Although painted over through the years, the decorative
designs are original. The church is recognized as the
most unique and one of the most beautiful in the mission
chain. It is the largest of the California missions
and the only one adorned with a wooden dome that is
also unique to the site, as are the side altars and
the Madonna Chapel, which originally served as a mortuary
chapel.
The Lavanderia is to the south of the Mission. It served
as an open-air laundry since the shallow valley beyond
the plaza proved ideal as both a bathing site and a
place to wash clothes. The structure also provided a
means of channeling the water into the Mission's gardens
and fields for irrigation. Flowing down from both sides
of the tiled stairway, water spouted from the mouths
of carved gargoyles. It was an impressive water conservation
system even by modern standards. |
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Mission San Luis Rey Oceanside |
The cemetery has been in continuous use since the founding
of the Mission in 1798. Buried here are many of the area's
leading Catholic pioneers and priests. The cemetery continues
to be the oldest burial ground in North San Diego County
still in operation. The Franciscan Crypts, house the remains
of many of the friars who have served this mission, while
recent expansion makes it possible for area residents of
all faiths to be buried here.
The skull and crossbones above the cemetery entrance are
commonly found at Franciscan cemeteries. In the 1950s, Walt
Disney Studio replaced the cemetery gates for the filming
of several television episodes of "Zorro".
The Mission quadrangle is a four-sided patio approximately
500 square feet surrounded by buildings. In this courtyard
is Peruvian Pepper Tree, which was amongst the first planted
in California in the 1800s. The buildings included workshops,
living quarters, a kitchen, infirmary, winery, and storage
areas. The larger area is now a Retreat Center that was
built for a seminary college in 1950.
The Carriage Arch was the friars’ living quarters
and now houses the Museum and a Gift Shop. The museum boasts
exhibits on the colorful history of Mission San Luis Rey
de Francia. The collections include artifacts from the Native
American, and Spanish Mission and Mexican Secularization
period.
Artists are welcomed and frequent the Mission as a source
of inspiration in their work. There is a program in place
for those who need a bit of privacy from tourists. Special
areas are designated where artists can paint and draw for
a nominal fee during open hours. The membership fee of $60
includes a one-year pass good for 20 artist sittings, unlimited
free admission to the Museum and Church, as well as a one-time
pass to the "Behind the Scenes" guided tour of
your choice.
Sittings are reserved one week prior to your visit and must
be used between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Instructors
of art classes may use their membership to bring their students
on to the grounds. Students must be accompanied by an instructor
and pay an $8 day use fee. "Artists Open House"
dates, to be scheduled throughout the year, will allow artists
to preview the site before membership and sit in the quadrangle
for one day only at the $8 fee. |
Carriage Arch Mission San Luis Rey |
Mission San Luis Rey Lavanderia |
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Click
on image to enlarge |
Mission museum is open
for self-guided tours daily Monday-Friday, 9 am - 5 pm;
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. the Last tour begins
at 4:30 p.m. admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children,
seniors receive a discounted rate of $4 and Active Military
and dependents receive complimentary admission.
The Mission will accommodate group tours of 15 if called
in advance of the visit at (760)757-3651.
When visiting personal photography and videography is allowed
in most outdoor areas and some inside areas, but ask to
be sure. No flashes or tripods are allowed out of respect
for the age of the items and other visitors. Commercial
photography at the Mission requires permission in advance,
a fee, and insurance. The gift shop offers books on mission
history, DVDs, and other objects of note.
On your next weekend adventure, consider a visit to Mission
San Luis Rey de Francia for a few moments of peace and reflection.
The mission is located at 4050 Mission Avenue, Oceanside,
CA 92057. It’s a two-hour drive from the San Fernando
Valley, 1.5 from Los Angeles and an hour from Orange County. |
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Oceanside
located within minutes of countless attractions
in nearby San Diego |
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San
Diego Zoo over 4,000 animals of more
than 800 species housed in the zoo. |
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