Mission San Juan Bautista

About

Built in 1797, the Mission San Juan Bautista quickly grew into a thriving community home to over 1000 Native Americans who farmed and raised livestock. Despite sitting on the San Andreas fault, it’s the best-preserved mission in the state since any damage from the frequent earthquakes was promptly repaired. Right after you enter, you’ll find yourself in the mission museum where half a dozen rooms showcase 19th century artifacts, historic vestments, period furnishings and a full-scale model of the complex to get a better idea of what life was like. The standout structure is the church, which is the largest of the mission churches in California. The interior has a decidedly rustic charm to it with exposed beams, and simply ornamented walls. The altarpiece borrows from traditional European design with large reredos housing statues of saints, but instead of the typical gilded carvings is ornamented with a more humble Romantic-style painting.