Presidio of Santa Barbara, Spanish colonial park in downtown Santa Barbara, United States
The Presidio of Santa Barbara is a downtown park containing two original adobe buildings and several reconstructed structures across about five and a half acres. The site follows the layout of a military fortress from the colonial period.
Spanish colonists built this military post in 1782 to defend the nearby mission church. It was the final presidio constructed in Spanish California.
The site shows Spanish colonial building styles using adobe clay, a technique the Chumash people had perfected long before. Walking through the grounds, you can see how two different cultures shaped the way these structures were made.
Start your visit at the Visitor Center in Cañedo Adobe, where you'll find exhibits and information about the site. You can walk around freely and follow the paths to explore all the buildings at your own pace.
The El Cuartel building on the grounds is the second-oldest standing structure in California. Its thick adobe walls show how solidly these early colonial buildings were constructed.
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