San Juan Capistrano, Historical mission city in Orange County, United States
San Juan Capistrano is a city in Orange County, California, stretching between Los Angeles and San Diego. The terrain sits at roughly 36 meters elevation and includes residential neighborhoods, commercial zones, and the old mission compound.
Father Junípero Serra founded the mission in 1776 and built a significant settlement core there. A severe earthquake destroyed the cruciform church in 1812 and permanently altered the course of the community's development.
The settlement takes its name from Giovanni da Capestrano, a fifteenth-century Italian Franciscan preacher. Locals celebrate the annual return of swallows with a festival that draws residents and visitors into the historic mission core of town.
Interstate 5 runs through the city and links it to coastal towns and larger centers to the north and south. Visitors move around best by car, as the town has a sprawling road network.
The swallows have returned punctually on March 19th for over two centuries and nest in the ruins of the old mission church. Their migration from Argentina to here covers roughly 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles) and takes several weeks.
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