Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto

The first mission in Baja California, Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto, was founded in Loreto in 1697 by an Italian Jesuit Padre, Juan María Salvatierra. The first structure, a tent, was replaced by a permanent building, and by 1752, the lovely church, as you see it today, was completed. This mission served as hub for the exploration of the entire Baja Peninsula and was the starting point for Padre Junipero Serra’s expedition to establish a chain of missions northward into Alta California (he is well known as the priest who founded many missions in the San Francisco area).