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EXPLORE MISSION SAN LUIS REY
Step into history at the San Luis Rey Mission Church, a beacon of California’s past and a testament to Spanish colonial architecture. Founded in 1798, this mission is the 18th of the 21 original missions established by Spain in California and referred to as the “King of the Missions.”
At its height, Mission San Luis Rey’s land holdings stretched over a vast expanse of almost 950,400 acres, making it the largest of the Californian missions. Today, the mission complex has been beautifully restored, occupying 56 acres of its original land.
Mission San Luis Rey - Church
Erected between 1811 and 1815, the San Luis Rey Mission Church is a rare gem, being one of only two cruciform (cross-shaped) churches ever built by the Spanish in the region.
The church is open daily and Franciscan friars still study, worship, and live at the mission.
Mission San Luis Rey - Ruins
Visitors are invited to explore this historic site, which includes not only the magnificent church but also remnants of the mission’s past. Wander through the ruins of the old lavanderia, the original convento arches, colonnade, officers’ barracks, California’s first documented Pepper Tree and lime kiln. Discover the original mission cemetery, the oldest in North San Diego County, where Franciscan friars marked the entrance with the haunting symbol of the Skull & Crossbones.
For a deeper understanding of the site, visit the mission’s museum housed in the former convento. The museum showcases the rich history of the San Luis Rey Mission Church and its surroundings.
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