Mission San Miguel Arcangél

The plan for the three day Easter weekend getaway was to spend time on the beach. It was the antipode to months cooped up at home with only occasional trips to the supermarket. But on our way to Pismo Beach, we saw a sign that said Mission San Miguel. And it was only eleven minutes from our hotel in Paso Robles. It was the perfect place to spend Easter Sunday.

There are 21 Missions on the California Mission Historic Trail. From San Diego in the south to Sonoma in the north, these missions were established to convert Native Americans to Catholicism and expand Spain’s influence in Mexico (California was then part of Mexico).

Spain not only shaped the socio-cultural practices of Native Americans, they also influenced the architectural style of the era. The missions they built along the Camino Real (King’s Highway) beginning in 1769 through 1823 were originally built from adobe with arched columns, tiled roofs and corridors, fountains, and an interior courtyard and garden.

This colonnade runs the length of the exterior façade and leads to the church’s side door. Each of the columns has a wooden representation of a station of the cross.

Mission San Miguel was established in 1797. The original church was razed by fire in 1806. The current one was built between 1816-1818. To the left of the church is the cemetery. The frescoes inside the church were painted by Esteban Munras and his Salinan assistants and are original. They used ground minerals which were mixed with cactus juice to paint the walls. (See images of the altar and walls above.)

The Padre’s living quarters has a kitchen, dining room and a sala (which now contains religious paintings and artifacts). This bee-hive oven was used to bake bread and prepare simple meals.

The courtyard is a peaceful oasis surrounded on all sides by corridors supporting red tiled roofs.

How to get to Mission San Miguel:

From San Francisco: Go south on Highway 101 towards Paso Robles. The exit is 10th Street. Follow signs to San Miguel which is on Mission Street.

From Los Angeles: Take 101 north and continue past San Luis Obispo to San Miguel. Exit on Mission Street.

775 Mission Street, San Miguel, California

missionsanmiguel.org

Map of route to Mission San Miguel Arcangél

https://goo.gl/maps/qQpZwfU54KFYs6py9

*****

Images by TravelswithCharie

Brașov was once called Stalin City

White Tower Brașov is a city nestled in the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania. Remnants of its medieval fortifications and bastions are added attractions to this buzzing city. The White Tower along with the Black Tower are two of the remaining watchtowers still visible today. During the Communist period, Brașov was called Orasul Stalin or Stalin City after the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin. Black Church This is such a storied Gothic church which was originally the Catholic Church of St. Mary before it was converted to a Lutheran Church. It was believed to have been affected by fire in 1689 which blackened its exterior walls and roof. But a new 21st century study reveals that this wasn’t the case at all. The only reason for its blackened state according to the study is environmental pollution caused by the industrialization of Brasov in the 19th century. The walls have since been cleaned but there are traces of black spots on the roof. Republicii Street This long pede...

The Gold of Ancestors: Pre-Colonial Philippine Treasures

Openwork basket, Surigao, 10th-13th century What a wonderful surprise this exhibition is! These gold objects, about a thousand of them, add a rich layer to Philippine history. This collection which was found in various sites in the Philippines, date back to the 10th-13th centuries. It demonstrates the well developed culture of pre colonial Philippines which the Spaniard, Antonio Pigafetta, recorded in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan landed in the islands. A thriving interchange between the Philippines and its Asian neighbors existed prior to the arrival of Magellan as attested by some of these gold accouterments which show for example, images from Hindu mythology. The motifs and curvilinear ornamentation of the openwork basket (shown above) intimate Chinese designs found in their ceramics and textiles. Torso ornament, 10th-13th century Weighing four kilos of gold, this sash is worn across the chest similar to the upavita (sacred thread) style in Hindu culture. This sash w...

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was...

TravelswithCharie

Search This Blog