san francisco de asis church

There is something special about this church that I can't explain. It's not just the original construction; it's the feeling one gets while being there. It houses a kind of quiet comfort that almost never exists in the modern world.

Very simple old historic living church. Made famous in paintings by Georgia O'Keefe and photographs by Ansel Adams it is proof that simple beauty is enough. It is a huge Adobe structure that oddly enough is a bit difficult to find if you aren't looking, as it's 4 miles or so south of Taos and mixed in with other Adobe buildings.Worth the jaunt and time to find and explore it.

I know this small church has a lot of history and it was made famous by Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams, but it was rather plain. I was probably more interested in the adjacent, run-down adobe buildings next door to the church.

it is said this might be the most photographed/painted building in the U.S. Those pictures do not do it justice. The neighborhood was strange, although I don't know what I expected, but you have to visit the Mission. As someone who enjoys missions I have to say this tops the list.

As its National Historic Landmark designation implies, the San Francisco de Asis Mission Church is very much worth a stop and look-see. We didn’t get to tour the interior, which was disappointing, but viewing the exterior was quite an experience. I can’t recall seeing anything quite like it before. This massive structure stands as proof positive that a church doesn’t have to be ornate in order to be beautiful. Oddly enough, San Francisco de Asis Mission Church isn’t a cinch to find even though it’s situated on the main highway (NM 68) just four miles south of Taos. No prominent roadside signage identifies St. Francis Plaza or the Ranchos de Taos Plaza Historic District, and the San Francisco de Asis Mission Church is set back from the highway far enough to easily escape notice as you drive by. It helps to know that Old Martina’s Hall restaurant, a landmark adobe structure, is directly across the street.Nit-pickers footnote: The National Park Service, which maintains the National Register of Historic Places, lists this National Historic Landmark as “San Francisco of Asissi Mission Church” on the relevant nps.gov website.

It is well worth the short drive from Taos to visit this historical church. It is simple and lovely and has a lovely courtyard. It is always interesting to me to see places famous artists have painted.

This church is worth the short drive south of Taos to see. The beauty of this ancient church is amazing.

Our family spent Christmas in Taos and were fortunate enough to attend Mass at the historical church which so many artist have painted, including Georgia O'Keefe. A must for every traveler. Check out the galleries there, and Old Martina's Hall across the street.

We were told it was "very ornate", but the exterior is really simple and plain. While this has it's own beauty, it wasn't what I was expecting... The interior has the usual ornate paintings, etc. I'm not Catholic so I don't know what the parts of the church are called.

If in the Taos area, this mission church should be on your list of things to see! It is located about 4-miles S of the Taos plaza, in Ranchos de Taos, right on the side of the main highway if you're driving the High Road to Taos (& you definitely SHOULD drive the High Road to Taos, which is the old road that runs between Santa Fe & Taos). As another point of reference, it is located about 1.5-miles S of the Taos Visitor's Center. When driving S, you will go through 2-3 traffic lights, then will come to a blinking traffic light. At this blinking light, turn E (left, if driving S) into what appears to be a gravel parking area. You will immediately see the back of the mission, which you will drive around to get to the front. You are actually driving into the old, historic plaza, & the mission sits in the very middle. There are several really old & deteriorating adobe structures around the plaza area, which deserve a glance just to get an idea of the adobe architecture of 250-years ago. Park & proceed through the archway & into the courtyard of the mission. It is o.k. to take pictures all around the exterior of the mission, but pictures are not allowed to be taken inside. The mission is beautiful, inside & out, so be sure to explore it all. Please be mindful & quiet when inside, & control children. Normal hours that it is open are 9-4 Mon-Sat, depending on such things as holidays & services. San Francisco de Asis dates to 1772, & is the MOST photographed & painted mission/church in the world. You will probably recognize it from photographs by Ansel Adams, & from paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe (among others). Locals are committed to preserving this icon of the West, & they gather to re-apply adobe & straw yearly over about a 2-week period, usually in June. There is a small gift shop located right there on the historic plaza. There are no restroom or food facilities, but both are nearby. Admission to San Francisco de Asis is free & well worth an hour of your time, which is plenty of time to explore it inside & out. A lot of people speed up, jump out & snap a couple of pictures & speed away again, but it really deserves more time than that. Make a point to spend a little time there, & you'll be glad you did!

This is an old adobe church, and the alter works are nice; wooden panels and carvings. Nice small grounds, no charge for entry. There was no one there when we went and the visitors center was closed.

World famous of course. But seeing it up close and personal is always inspiring! It is simple yet there is a magic to it. The angles and curves play off of each other so well. The entry is old and elegant. A reverence is there. After you take a hundred photos stop at the Rancho Plaza Grill next door for a fabulous meal and continue gazing at the church.

I went here with friends from out of town in May of 2014.I had never been inside before. It is old school New Mexico Catholic in there, rustic, but also calm, peaceful, quiet. Very nice, especially if you want some time for quiet reflection.The outside is cooler than the inside, I think, which is probably why it has been the subject of much art over the last 100+ years. (And by "cooler," I mean more interested, although I think the temperature inside was cooler too.)There's a nice courtyard right outside the entrance doors, complete with a statue of San Francisco de Asis himself.If you go to the gift shop, you can take a little walk to another building to see a video about the "miracle" painting, then view the painting itself. There is no fee to visit the church, but there is a fee to watch the video and then view the "miracle" painting. My friends and I opted out of the "miracle" experience, although we did hang out at the gift shop before the tour guide and all her tourists left for the other building . We were hoping for some free information, but the tour guide was tight lipped and rather unfriendly.The San Francisco de Asis Church is a great, free place to visit. Take your out of town guests there to give them a glimpse of the real Taos.

As churches go, this one is picturesque, both from the back side that Georgia O'Keefe painted and the front side away from the main road. They have a little gift shop where you ask questions and pay to see the miracle painting.

This Catholic Mission Church built in 1816 is a unique adobe style Spanish Colonial Church. It has a beautiful interior with a period-colorful altar and interior. I highly recommend that you visit St. Francis - the Patron Saint of Animals at his namesake church in Taos!