National Historic Landmark

San Diego Mission Church

San Diego, San Diego County, California
Listed
April 14, 1970
Type
Building
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
70000144

About this property

Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá (Spanish: Misión San Diego de Alcalá, lit. The Mission of Saint Didacus of Acalá) was the second Franciscan-founded mission in the Californias (after San Fernando de Velicata), a province of New Spain. Located in present-day San Diego, California, it was founded on July 16, 1769, by Spanish friar Junípero Serra, in an area long inhabited by the Kumeyaay people. The current church, built in the early 19th century, is the fifth to stand on this location. The mission site is a National Historic Landmark. The mission and the surrounding area were named for the Catholic saint Didacus of Alcalá, a Spaniard more commonly known as San Diego. The mission was the site of the first Christian burial in Alta California. The original mission burned in 1775 during an uprising by local natives. San Diego is also generally regarded as the site of the region's first public execution, in 1778. Father Luis Jayme, California's first Christian martyr who was among those killed during the 1775 uprising against the mission, lies entombed beneath the chancel floor.

Location

San Diego, San Diego County, California
32.78427, -117.10651

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Lindstrom House
Industrial
1.4 mi
San Diego State College
Listed
2.1 mi
University Heights Water Storage and Pumping Station Historic District
Industrial
2.6 mi
Lafayette Hotel
Industrial
2.8 mi
Teacher Training School Building-San Diego State Normal School
Industrial
3.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was San Diego Mission Church listed on the National Register?

San Diego Mission Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 14, 1970.

What type of historic resource is San Diego Mission Church?

San Diego Mission Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is San Diego Mission Church a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. San Diego Mission Church has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for San Diego Mission Church?

The period of significance for San Diego Mission Church is recorded as the colonial era.

Can I research the history near San Diego Mission Church?

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