La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles, Historic Catholic church in downtown Los Angeles, United States
La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles is a Catholic church on the Plaza de Los Ángeles in downtown Los Angeles. Its pale, flat facade has a gabled central section topped by a cross above a small round window, with two rectangular windows flanking the arched entrance. A small square bell tower with a domed roof and open arches rises on the left; a lower wing extends to the right beneath a dark pitched roof.
The church was founded on August 18, 1814, by Franciscan Fray Luis Gil y Taboada, who laid its cornerstone in the adobe ruins of the Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles Asistencia, established in 1784 to serve the settlers who founded Los Angeles. The completed structure was dedicated on December 8, 1822, during California's Mexican era. A replacement chapel was rebuilt in 1861 using materials from the original church, and the Claretian Missionary Fathers have operated the site since 1908.
The parish holds services in both Spanish and English, reflecting the diverse Catholic community that has worshipped here for generations. People from different backgrounds gather regularly to pray together in this sacred space.
The church stands on the Plaza de Los Ángeles, beside the placita Olvera, with Market Street and Pico Boulevard nearby. Masses are held in Spanish and English, so time a visit outside service hours to see the interior. The building has been retrofitted against earthquakes since the 1960s.
The 1861 replacement chapel incorporated a bell tower, and the building was among the first three Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments designated in 1962. The Claretian Missionary Fathers have run the parish since 1908.
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