Mission Santa Barbara

Mission Santa Barbara is a Spanish mission station in Santa Barbara County, California, positioned on a hill above the city. The complex consists of a church with two bell towers, an interior courtyard with a fountain, cloister buildings, and an expansive garden area with olive trees and palms.

Franciscan priest Fermín Lasuén founded this mission in 1786 as the tenth establishment in the California mission chain. A severe earthquake destroyed parts of the complex in 1812, after which the current stone church with reinforced construction was built.

The church carries the title "Queen of the Missions" and displays a neoclassical facade that imitates Roman temples, bringing a European architectural style to early California. The cemetery holds graves of Chumash congregation members alongside early Spanish settlers, reflecting the encounters and tensions of that era.

A museum next to the church displays objects from the mission period and explains daily life during Spanish colonial times. The gardens and cemetery can be visited freely, while entry to the church interior and museum typically requires an admission contribution.

An underground aqueduct system from the late 18th century supplied the mission with water from a nearby creek and still partly functions today. The stone fountain in the courtyard was built by Chumash workers under the guidance of Spanish master masons and shows a blend of indigenous and European craft techniques.