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Mission San Juan Capistrano (Spanish: Misión San Juan Capistrano) is a Spanish mission in San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California. Founded November 1, 1776 in colonial Las Californias by Spanish Catholic missionaries of the Franciscan Order, it was named for Saint John of Capistrano .

Mission San Juan Capistrano and gardens are closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and for our annual Romance of the Mission benefit gala. The Mission grounds and hours are subject to change daily. Please use our Online Calendar to check prior to your visit.

Mission San Juan Capistrano was established to expand the territorial boundaries of Spain and to spread Christianity to the native peoples of California. Missions and presidios (forts) were projected to be the major institutions for the spread of Spanish rule.

San Juan Capistrano Mission, situated in Southern California, is a testament to the rich tapestry of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and American histories interwoven over time. Founded in 1776 by Spanish Catholic priests of the Franciscan Order, the mission stands as a monumental representation of the Spanish colonization era and its ...

About. Famous for the Annual Return of the Swallows, Mission San Juan Capistrano, historic landmark, museum and gardens, welcomes over 300,000 visitors each year. Enjoy exhibits featuring historic and religious artifacts, rare paintings, and more. Experience the tradition of bell ringing daily honoring the legacy of Saint Junipero Serra, who ...

A massive earthquake destroyed this "Great Stone Church" in 1812. San Juan Capistrano is one of the most picturesque of the California missions, with captivating ruins, a courtyard in the front and back and extensive displays. The mission holds special events throughout the year. San Juan Capistrano.

On March 5, 1731, the mission was reestablished on the east bank of the San Antonio River and renamed San Juan Capistrano. In the new location, epidemics of smallpox, measles, and other European disease swept through the mission, causing much suffering and death among the native inhabitants.

San Juan Capistrano Mission is famous for its swallows, who fly south every year on October 23 and return on March 19. Legend says the swallows took up residence here to escape an innkeeper who kept destroying their nests.