Mission San Xavier

Updated February 14, 2014.

• Opening times: Open every day except Easter Sunday and 25 December
• Reservations: Not required
• Cost: Free, but donations welcome
• Reaching south of Tucson, driving below: Location
• How long: Leave for about an hour
• Best Time: All the time, but the Mission San Xavier is a working church and the sanctuary will be filled during the fair
• Watch Now: Photo Tour

Mission San Xavier

Some say the Mission San Xavier is the finest example of mission architecture in the United States, and I will not disagree. After visiting all 21 Spanish missions in California and others in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, I've never seen so beautiful.

Built between 1783 and 1797, the white walls of Mission San Xavier massive increase in the middle of the surrounding desert. Outside there is an elegant Moorish design inspiration and simply white with an ornate entrance.

Inside the Mission colored frescoes radiates covering the altar, walls and vaulted ceiling. Beautiful, if built in every age, is even more fascinating because of their age.

Spanish missionaries built the Mission San Xavier Tohono O'odham Native place called Bac, "place where the water appears" as the Santa Cruz River, the subway is nearby. Father Eusebio Francisco Kino founded the mission here in 1700 and used it as a base to explore the region. Today it is still active in the service of the Tohono O'odham parish church.

Besides small gifts to the mission of the store is a cafe on the ground, and on weekends, you can find someone created under a refuge from the sale of local Fry Bread.

Directions to the Mission San Xavier

Mission San Xavier
1950 W. San Xavier Road
San Xavier, AZ
520-294-2624
Web page

Getting to the San Xavier Mission in Tucson, I-19 to the south. Take Exit 92, San Xavier Road and follow the signs, right on W. San Xavier Road, then right on S. Kleiner Nogales Drive and turn right into the parking lot Mission San Javier.

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