Visiting The Misión San Francisco de Asís (lots of snaps...)

Gentle Friends, our day started off with breakfast at The Red Cafe, and then it was on to our first destination.....  The Mision San Francisco de Asis - from which the City by the Bay takes it's name.  Here's a snap of the front of the original Mission and the "new" Basilica......

Misión San Francisco de Asís

The Misión San Francisco de Asís was founded June 29, 1776. The settlement was named for St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order, but was also commonly known as "Mission Dolores" owing to the presence of a nearby creek named Arroyo de los Dolores, or "Creek of Sorrows."

Mission Dolores is the oldest intact building in the City of San Francisco and the only intact Mission Chapel in the chain of 21 established under the direction of Father Serra. The Mission has been a steadfast witness to the span of San Francisco's history including the California Gold Rush and the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. The Mission Cemetery is the only cemetery that remains within the City limits. The Cemetery is the final resting place for numerous Ohlone, Miwok, and other First Californians as well as notable California pioneers.

the cornerstone from the rebuilding of the Basilica after the "06" earthquake and the commemorative one put there a couple of years ago to celebrate the Centennial.....

....... looking along the outside down 16th Street......  we visited the original Mission first......

... looking down the nave towards the original Reredos....

.... to the left or Gospel Side, stands St. Josephs altar, from left to right the Saints are - St John of Capistrano, St Joseph, foster father of Jesus and St Bonaventure...

.... to the right or Epistle-Side stands St Anthony's Altar - and the Saints from left to right are....St Pasqual of Baylon, St Anthony of Padua and St Francis of Solano......  here is a detail from the foot, these are wonderfully painted and just beautiful........

 

... a closer look at the main altar Reredos.....

...... and the beautiful reredos.....

..... the reredos was crafted in Mexico and brought to the Mission in 1797 - clockwise from the top left are - St Francis of Assisi in ecstasy, St Joachim, father of Mary, St Michael the Archangel, St Clare of Assisi founder of the Poor Clares, St Francis of Assisi with the stigmata, St Anne, mother of Mary, the Crucifix, and Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception, on the lowest level under the Crucifix is the Tabernacle......

... in the back of the is the spiral stair leading up to the choir loft.......

...... between the Mission and Basilica is an open breezeway and a diorama showing how the area looked in the 18th century......

....... looking down the breezeway - there is a door leading into the Basilica.....

.... looking towards the main altar....

....... where there would be a large rose window is a grand window of St Francis......

... one of the large windows of unusual orange glass with angels.....

...... looking from the main altar you can see where the large window of St Francis is over the main doorway

.... along both sides of the sanctuary are a series of windows depicting the different Missions and the dates of their founding......  the above is for Mission Santa Barbara....

.... looking down the main aisle......

....... in the back of the church are niches with lovely gilt mosaics and this one has a great faience icon of the Madonna and Jesus......

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After leaving the Basilica you go outside and on one of the walls is this......

..... the plaque with all the info.......about the artist and the piece.......

.... and a small museum with some of the churches artifacts.....

...... from the Museum you can go out and visit the graveyard.......  here are some snaps.......

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That's about it for the Mission San Francisco de Asis, thanks for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar