Mission San Xavier del Bac
A Spanish colonial mission church nicknamed the 'White Dove of the Desert.' Completed in 1797, its Baroque altar and murals are among the finest Spanish colonial art in the United States.
Mission San Xavier del Bac lies within the Tohono O'odham Nation reservation. Jesuit missionary Father Eusebio Kino founded the mission in 1692. The existing white adobe church was built by the Franciscans between 1783 and 1797, blending Moorish, Byzantine, and Mexican Baroque styles. It remains an active parish church and is a U.S. National Historic Landmark. The interior altar is richly decorated, and the restored murals and statues are vivid in color. Admission is free, though donations are welcome. Avoid touring during Mass. Indigenous vendors often sell fry bread in the square outside the church. A cross on the small hill to the east offers a view of the whole church. The mission is about 15 minutes' drive from downtown.
Opening hours
Approx. 07:00–17:00 (closed to visitors during Mass)
Nearby sights
- Sentinel Peak (A Mountain)
- Mission Garden
- Barrio Viejo
- Fourth Avenue
- Reid Park Zoo
- Tucson Botanical Gardens
- Pima Air & Space Museum & Boneyard Tour
- Old Tucson