Mission San Juan Bautista

Bautista Hotel
San Juan Bautista

The San Juan Bautista Mission, founded in June 24, 1797, is the fifteenth in the chain of 21 California Missions and the largest church in the California Mission chain. It was in the year 1797, a Roman Catholic pilgrimage led by Father Junipero Serra was to bring Christianity to the wilderness. The Franciscan friars chose the site of the 15th and most spectacular mission in the California Mission chain, at the foot of the Gavilan Mountains, which they named Mission San Juan Bautista, after St. John the Baptist. They wasted little time in bringing the Catholic religion to the local Mutsun Indians.

Mission San Juan Bautista Hotel. San Juan Bautista Hotel

Looking for comfortable and convenient hotels near Mission San Juan Bautista? The Best Western San Benito Inn is a friendly lodging in the charming town of Hollister, California, located just one mile from San Benito Airport and few miles from the mission.. The hotel provides courteous service, well-appointed guestrooms, enhanced amenities and an outdoor pool- the perfect location for exploring Mission San Juan Bautista, golf courses, attractions, wineries, Pinnacles State Park, and Bonfante Gardens. Check out their specials and packages.

Mission San Juan Bautista Today. The present church structure, completed in 1812, has seen continuous use since its founding. The property surrounding the Mission belongs to the State of California. Daytime strollers, families, picnickers, and tourists from foreign countries come to San Juan Bautista to glimpse at what daily life was once like in the town. Just a few steps inside the massive carved entrance doors, if you look down at the old red tile floor, you'll see 180-year old animal paw prints. You will find authentic altar statues, a faux-marble painted wall decoration, a huge sandstone baptismal font, all in place since the church's founding. It's a step back in time - 200 years - to enter this old sanctuary, which architecturally hasn't suffered the ravages of time or ruin. [Top]

The Art of California Mission San Juan Bautista. The interior focus is on a colorful primitive altar screen painted in 1816 by Thomas Doak, an American sailor who jumped ship in the port of Monterey and found shelter in the mission settlement for his work. The designs are original, left as Doak painted them. A long corridor runs along the front of the Mission, now devoted to museum displays of the mission's rich and colorful past and a souvenir shop.

Mission San Juan Bautista History.

Adjacent to the mission, San Juan Bautista State Historic Park includes several structures built in the 1800s, including the Plaza Hotel, Plaza Hall and stable, blacksmith shop, granary, jail and the Castro Breen adobe. History exhibits show California life of the Mission, Mexican and early American periods. The San Juan Bautista State Historical Park sponsors an Early Days Celebration each year held in June on Father's Day weekend. The park also celebrates the First Saturday each month as Living History with activities such as spinning, candle making, dancing, and loom weaving. The Juan Bautista De Anza National Trail offers walking, biking, and horseback riding. [Top]

Best Western San Benito Inn - Hollister, CA
660 San Felipe Road, Hollister, California, 95023
Reservations: 800-605-7603 Phone: 831-637-9248
Email: 05330@hotel.bestwestern.com