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Mission Dolores – The Mission Dolores
(Mission San Francisco de Asis) is the oldest building in San Francisco.
The adobe structure, with walls 4 feet thick, was started in 1788 and has
withstood earthquakes over the years. It's always fun for kids to get a
glimpse of San Francisco that's quite different from today. |
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Inside the church, look up to see the original California
redwood logs, still supporting the roof. The ceiling is painted with bright
Ohlone Indian geometric designs. The gilded altars came from Mexico in 1796
and 1810. (To the right of the old Mission is the large Bascilica of the
Parish church, with lovely stained glass windows of Saint Francis of Assisi,
patron saint of San Francisco.) |
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Outside the church, don't miss the diorama, showing
what the mission looked like in 1791. San Francisco was largely a bunch
of sand dunes in the distance. The mission church was surrounded by living
quarters for monks and soldiers, shops and storage buildings. |
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The charming old cemetery has weathered headstones
of the early inhabitants of San Francisco, including the first mayor ("alcade")
of San Francisco. Many of the people came from other countries – Chile,
Ireland, Mexico, France. (This is one of the few cemeteries in the city.) |
