Editor Pick
San Xavier Mission
- August 25, 2000
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Vera Marie from Tucson, Arizona
I love the way the soft curves of the white building’s domes stand out against the blue Arizona sky. And I am amazed each time I enter the richly decorated interior of the “Dove of the Desert.”
Nothing represents Tucson’s Spanish and Indian heritage better than the San Xavier Mission, just south of downtown. Father Eusebio Francisco Kino founded the mission in 1700 to serve a village of Papago Indians. Untutored, anonymous artists recreated Spanish style with native materials. The structure we visit today survives from the mid-eighteenth century.
San Xavier (pronounced ha-veer) is getting a face lift thanks to the generosity of people around the world. The intricately painted interior has been restored to its former brilliant colors. Now work proceeds on the exterior roof and walls.
The Tohono O’odham (formerly Papago) still use the church, so visit with reverence. I like to rent an audiotape to explain the details. In a small room behind the museum rooms—to the right of the entrance—I watch a videotape narrated by Linda Ronstadt, a native Tucsonan.
Across the parking lot from the church, I stop for Indian fried bread with honey, a favorite treat. Small Native American shops feature silver and turquoise jewelry, pottery and carvings.
Location: Take I-19 south from Tucson and turn off at the signed exit for San Xavier.
Hours: Every day. You may attend religious services, held almost daily.
Admission: Free, but donations welcome.
From journal Tucson's Top Seven
Editor Pick
Mission San Xavier del Bac
- June 28, 2000
- Rated 4 of 5 by
PabloDiablo from San Francisco, California
'The White Dove of the Desert', one of the original Spanish missions built in current U.S. territory, is one of the finest examples of mission architecture left in the whole country. The church stands stark white against the Sonoran landscape, and it's quite a site to behold. The interior was being restored when I last visited; I don't know if they're done yet. San Xavier still holds Catholic services, and there is also a small museum attached to it detailing its history. Check out the Native American vendors outside, as well. Children may get bored here if you stay too long, unless they are architecture and/or history buffs. Hey, you never know.
From journal Sun, Saguaros, and Septagenarians