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San Francisco de Asís Mission Church

January 01, 1970

Not to be confused with Mission San Francisco de Asís.

San Francisco de Asís Mission Church is a historic and architecturally significant building on the main plaza of Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. Originally the center of a small Mexican and Indian 18th Century agricultural community. Built between 1772 and 1816 replacing an earlier church in that location. New Mexico was then part of the Vice-Royalty of New Spain. It is a fine example of a New Mexico Spanish Colonial Church, and is a popular subject for artists. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.[2] It is a parish church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

San Francisco de Asís Mission Church
Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic
Franciscans
Location
LocationThe Plaza of Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico
 USA
Shown within New Mexico
Geographic coordinates36°21′31″N 105°36′30″W / 36.35851388888889°N 105.60841388888889°W / 36.35851388888889; -105.60841388888889
Architecture
Architect(s)Built by The Franciscan Fathers
StyleAdobe, Spanish Colonial
Completed1772
MaterialsAdobe Terra Colorado Exterior. Adobe brick laid up in adobe mortar with adobe plaster surface.
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Added to NRHPApril 15, 1970[1]
NRHP Reference no.70000416
Designated as NHLApril 15, 1970[2]
TypeContributing property
DesignatedOctober 2, 1978
Parent listingRanchos de Taos Plaza
Reference no.78001830
Website
www.sfranchos.org

Description edit

San Francisco de Asís is located about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Taos, New Mexico, at the center of the main plaza in the unincorporated community of Ranchos de Taos on the south side of New Mexico State Road 68. It is a large adobe structure, about 120 feet (37 m) in length, with a cruciform plan. An adobe wall extends from the back of the church and one of the transepts to form an enclosed rectangular area on the building's south side. Adobe buttresses project from several portions of the main walls, including architecturally distinctive beehive-curved buttresses at the ends of the transepts. The roof is formed out of adobe laid on planking supported by timber vigas, set in distinctive doubly corbelled mounts. The vigas are also more closely spaced than is typically found in other examples of Spanish colonial architecture. The entrance is flanked by a pair of bell towers.[3]

History edit

The mission at Ranchos de Taos was established in the early 18th century.[3] Initial construction began circa 1772[4][5] and completed in 1815[4] by The Franciscan Fathers; its patron is Saint Francis of Assisi.[6] It was the center of the fortified plaza, which provided for protection against Comanche attacks.[7] The church has undergone several restorations or subsequent works in 1850, 1916 and 1933. Including a thorough restoration in 1967. In 1967 a new roof was placed over the structure and all the ceiling beams (vigas) and most of the corbels were replaced with copies of the original. The doors were also replaced with copies of the original design.[3] The original sanctuary woodwork was left intact. The community and parishioners gather annually to earthen plaster the church.[8]

Representation edit

The church has inspired some of the greatest number of depictions of any building in the United States.[6] It was the subject of several paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe,[9][10] and photographs by Ansel Adams, Paul Strand and Ned Scott. Georgia O'Keeffe described it as "one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States by the early Spaniards."[6]

The Taos Chamber of Commerce states that the building is "one of the most photographed and painted churches in the world".[11]

The church was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.[2][3] It is also designated as a World Heritage church.[12]

Historic Photographs edit

  •  
    Historic American Buildings Survey F. D. Nichols, Photographer August 1936 VIEW FROM SOUTH - Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos, Ranchos de Taos, Taos County, NM
  •  
    Historic American Buildings Survey James M. Slack, Photographer, March 15, 1934, FRONT ELEVATION (EAST) - Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos, Ranchos de Taos, Taos County, NM
  •  
    Historic American Buildings Survey James M. Slack, Photographer, March 16, 1934, INTERIOR NAVE (LOOKING WEST) - Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos, Ranchos de Taos, Taos County, NM

Gallery edit

  •  
    Grade Buttress
  •  
    North East Bell Tower
  •  
    North East Transept Apse
  •  
    South West Nave Window
  •  
    Transept Sacristy
  •  
    South Facade
  •  
    Altarpiece.(Restored 1981).
  •  
    Altarpiece.
  •  
    Front Facade

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "National Historic Landmarks Survey, New Mexico" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d Charles W. Snell (May 1, 1968) National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church, National Park Service and Accompanying photos from 1968
  4. ^ a b Hooker, Van Dorn. Centuries of Hands: An Architectural History of St. Francis of Assisi Church, p15. Sunstone Press (1996), ISBN 0-86534-234-2.
  5. ^ Ranchos de Taos. The Columbia Gazetteer of North America. 2000
  6. ^ a b c Charles C. Eldredge (1993). Georgia O'Keeffe: American and Modern, p198. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-05581-1.
  7. ^ Marc Treib (January 1, 1993). Sanctuaries of Spanish New Mexico. University of California Press. pp. 188–192. ISBN 978-0-520-06420-1.
  8. ^ "San Francisco de Asis Church | Ranchos de Taos Most Photographed Church". Taos.org. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  9. ^ 1971.16 | Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas 2010-09-19 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Georgia O'Keeffe - Learning 2008-09-16 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ (PDF). Taos Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 15, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  12. ^ GCatholic.org

Further reading edit

  • Spirit and Vision: Images of Ranchos de Taos Church. 1987, Museum of New Mexico Press. ISBN 0-89013-170-8. 80 images of the church, from a 1982 exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe.
  • Marc Treib (January 1, 1993). Sanctuaries of Spanish New Mexico. University of California Press. pp. 192–195. ISBN 978-0-520-06420-1.
  • Hooker, Van Dorn. Centuries of Hands: An Architectural History of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Sunstone Press 1996, ISBN 0-86534-234-2.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to San Francisco de Asis Mission Church.
  • Official website
  • Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. NM-7, "Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos, Ranchos de Taos, Taos County, NM", 12 photos, 2 color transparencies, 33 measured drawings, 6 data pages, 2 photo caption pages
  • Vintage Ranchos de Taos Photos by Ned Scott

January 01, 1970
francisco, asís, mission, church, confused, with, mission, francisco, asís, historic, architecturally, significant, building, main, plaza, ranchos, taos, mexico, originally, center, small, mexican, indian, 18th, century, agricultural, community, built, between. Not to be confused with Mission San Francisco de Asis San Francisco de Asis Mission Church is a historic and architecturally significant building on the main plaza of Ranchos de Taos New Mexico Originally the center of a small Mexican and Indian 18th Century agricultural community Built between 1772 and 1816 replacing an earlier church in that location New Mexico was then part of the Vice Royalty of New Spain It is a fine example of a New Mexico Spanish Colonial Church and is a popular subject for artists It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 2 It is a parish church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe San Francisco de Asis Mission ChurchMission Church of Ranchos de TaosReligionAffiliationRoman CatholicFranciscansLocationLocationThe Plaza of Ranchos de Taos New Mexico USAShown within New MexicoGeographic coordinates36 21 31 N 105 36 30 W 36 35851388888889 N 105 60841388888889 W 36 35851388888889 105 60841388888889ArchitectureArchitect s Built by The Franciscan FathersStyleAdobe Spanish ColonialCompleted1772MaterialsAdobe Terra Colorado Exterior Adobe brick laid up in adobe mortar with adobe plaster surface U S National Historic LandmarkAdded to NRHPApril 15 1970 1 NRHP Reference no 70000416Designated as NHLApril 15 1970 2 TypeContributing propertyDesignatedOctober 2 1978Parent listingRanchos de Taos PlazaReference no 78001830Websitewww wbr sfranchos wbr org Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 Representation 4 Historic Photographs 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksDescription editSan Francisco de Asis is located about 4 miles 6 4 km south of Taos New Mexico at the center of the main plaza in the unincorporated community of Ranchos de Taos on the south side of New Mexico State Road 68 It is a large adobe structure about 120 feet 37 m in length with a cruciform plan An adobe wall extends from the back of the church and one of the transepts to form an enclosed rectangular area on the building s south side Adobe buttresses project from several portions of the main walls including architecturally distinctive beehive curved buttresses at the ends of the transepts The roof is formed out of adobe laid on planking supported by timber vigas set in distinctive doubly corbelled mounts The vigas are also more closely spaced than is typically found in other examples of Spanish colonial architecture The entrance is flanked by a pair of bell towers 3 History editThe mission at Ranchos de Taos was established in the early 18th century 3 Initial construction began circa 1772 4 5 and completed in 1815 4 by The Franciscan Fathers its patron is Saint Francis of Assisi 6 It was the center of the fortified plaza which provided for protection against Comanche attacks 7 The church has undergone several restorations or subsequent works in 1850 1916 and 1933 Including a thorough restoration in 1967 In 1967 a new roof was placed over the structure and all the ceiling beams vigas and most of the corbels were replaced with copies of the original The doors were also replaced with copies of the original design 3 The original sanctuary woodwork was left intact The community and parishioners gather annually to earthen plaster the church 8 Representation editThe church has inspired some of the greatest number of depictions of any building in the United States 6 It was the subject of several paintings by Georgia O Keeffe 9 10 and photographs by Ansel Adams Paul Strand and Ned Scott Georgia O Keeffe described it as one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States by the early Spaniards 6 The Taos Chamber of Commerce states that the building is one of the most photographed and painted churches in the world 11 The church was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 2 3 It is also designated as a World Heritage church 12 Historic Photographs edit nbsp Historic American Buildings Survey F D Nichols Photographer August 1936 VIEW FROM SOUTH Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos Ranchos de Taos Taos County NM nbsp Historic American Buildings Survey James M Slack Photographer March 15 1934 FRONT ELEVATION EAST Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos Ranchos de Taos Taos County NM nbsp Historic American Buildings Survey James M Slack Photographer March 16 1934 INTERIOR NAVE LOOKING WEST Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos Ranchos de Taos Taos County NMGallery edit nbsp Grade Buttress nbsp North East Bell Tower nbsp North East Transept Apse nbsp South West Nave Window nbsp Transept Sacristy nbsp South Facade nbsp Altarpiece Restored 1981 nbsp Altarpiece nbsp Front FacadeSee also edit nbsp United States portal nbsp National Register of Historic Places portal National Register of Historic Places listings in Taos County New Mexico List of National Historic Landmarks in New Mexico New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties Registration no 24 References edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 a b c National Historic Landmarks Survey New Mexico PDF National Park Service Retrieved December 7 2016 a b c d Charles W Snell May 1 1968 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church National Park Service and Accompanying photos from 1968 a b Hooker Van Dorn Centuries of Hands An Architectural History of St Francis of Assisi Church p15 Sunstone Press 1996 ISBN 0 86534 234 2 Ranchos de Taos The Columbia Gazetteer of North America 2000 a b c Charles C Eldredge 1993 Georgia O Keeffe American and Modern p198 Yale University Press ISBN 0 300 05581 1 Marc Treib January 1 1993 Sanctuaries of Spanish New Mexico University of California Press pp 188 192 ISBN 978 0 520 06420 1 San Francisco de Asis Church Ranchos de Taos Most Photographed Church Taos org Retrieved March 5 2019 1971 16 Amon Carter Museum Fort Worth Texas Archived 2010 09 19 at the Wayback Machine Georgia O Keeffe Learning Archived 2008 09 16 at the Wayback Machine Pilgrimage to the Mission Churches PDF Taos Chamber of Commerce Archived from the original PDF on December 15 2013 Retrieved December 10 2012 GCatholic orgFurther reading editSpirit and Vision Images of Ranchos de Taos Church 1987 Museum of New Mexico Press ISBN 0 89013 170 8 80 images of the church from a 1982 exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Santa Fe Marc Treib January 1 1993 Sanctuaries of Spanish New Mexico University of California Press pp 192 195 ISBN 978 0 520 06420 1 Hooker Van Dorn Centuries of Hands An Architectural History of St Francis of Assisi Church Sunstone Press 1996 ISBN 0 86534 234 2 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to San Francisco de Asis Mission Church Official website Historic American Buildings Survey HABS No NM 7 Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos Ranchos de Taos Taos County NM 12 photos 2 color transparencies 33 measured drawings 6 data pages 2 photo caption pages Vintage Ranchos de Taos Photos by Ned Scott Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title San Francisco de Asis Mission Church amp oldid 1170922728, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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