Known as the “Queen of the Missions,” Santa Barbara’s Old Mission is designed with three distinctive areas . Its surrounding buildings, including interior spaces and cloisters still in use by the Franciscan Community, are of more recent date. The first Mission was begun on this site in 1786, and quickly followed by a second one finished in 1789, and a third completed in 1794– all made of adobe and quickly in need of replacement. The fourth Mission, of 1820, is the landmark that visitors see today. It has been maintained and repaired over the years when damaged, but remains largely the same.

The Classical motif of the facade was taken directly from a Spanish translation of a volume by the Roman architect Vitruvius. The design is a combination of sandstone architrave, frieze with fretwork, 6 ionic columns, entablature and great pediment. The four statues on top of gables represent Faith, Hope, and Charity, along with the patron Saint, St. Barbara. The originals statues were carved by Chumash artisans out of local stone and painted. They are now displayed in the museum, as a consequence of damage suffered during the 1925 earthquake.

In front of the Mission is the fountain with Chumash-carved animals spouting water. There is a mausoleum/cemetery adjacent to the church, on the right as one enters, reached through a doorway identified with a vanitas skull and cross bones motif. Public self-guided tours of the museum are highly recommended for first-time visitors, The exhibits include fascinating displays of early mission life. The access to the church is part of the tour (when not in use for liturgies) as well as a peek at one of the lovely interior cloisters and a visit to the cemetery,  On nearby Mission grounds, one will find interesting artifacts and relics, such as sections of the original aqueduct and filter plant, the old grist mill, the pottery kiln.

At Christmas a life-size Nativity scene is erected on the lawn in front of the Mission, which includes various live farm animals.

Visit the Old Mission Santa Barbara Website