Description
History

This mission, situated in the extreme northeast of San Luis Obispo County, over 37mi/60km north of the town of the same name, has - in contrast to most of the others - a church (the third one, and completed in 1821) which has withstood the rigors of time rather better, so that in 1901 and 1928 it had to be merely renovated, not rebuilt. As a result of secularization the mission lost its estates, which extended as far as the Pacific Ocean 30mi/50km away, and during the 1850 gold-rush it was a favorite place for fortune-seekers to stay.

Items of interest

The church, however, was not adversely affected; it remains intact and is one of the best-preserved examples of mission architecture. The interior is richly painted; Indians worked under the artist Estevan Munras from Monterey and succeeded in producing some interesting "trompe l'oeil effects" (French for "deceiving the eye"). Above a statue of its founder is an all-seeing Eye of God, supposed to exert a hypnotic effect upon believers. In the nearby museum you can see interesting items from the mission period.
Hobbies & Activities category: Mission;  Christian sites
Do-It-Yourself Tours
Address
Mission San Miguel Arcangel
Box 69
San Miguel, CA 93451-0069
United States
Phone 1 (805) 467-3256
Fax 1 (805) 467-2141
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open9:309:309:309:309:309:309:30
Closed16:1516:1516:1516:1516:1516:1516:15
Always closed on:
New Year's Day (January 1)
Easter - Christian
Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November)
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Cost
FREE
Tips
Donations accepted.
Facilities
Gift shop
Attractions Near Mission San Miguel Arcangel, San Miguel