Mission San Xavier del Bac

Overview

Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino founded Mission San Xavier del Bac in 1692. Kino, a Jesuit of Italian descent, often visited the area and preached to native residents. He began building a permanent mission around 1700, but the current building was constructed between 1783 and 1797 and is the oldest European structure in Arizona. The building features a white stucco exterior with Moorish-inspired details and an ornately decorated entrance. Franciscans still actively run the church, unlike other Spanish missions in Arizona. The church, nicknamed “The White Dove of the Desert,” is on the Tohono O’odham Nation San Xavier Indian Reservation.

Quick Facts

Status

Existing

Locality or neighborhood

Tucson

State or province

Arizona

Address

1950 W San Xavier Rd., Tucson, AZ 85746 Google Maps · Apple Maps

Postal code

85746