California Missions – San Luis Rey de Francía
Founded: June 13, 1798 – The 18th of the California Missions
Special Designation: King of the Missions
Named For: King Luis IX of France, who led crusades to the Holy Land in the 13th century.
Also Called: Mission San Luis Rey
Mission Site: Located on a hill overlooking a peaceful valley at the native village of Tacayme in the region know as Quechia, about five miles east of present day Oceanside.
Layout: San Luis Rey extended over six acres. By 1826 the quadrangle measured 500 feet on each side. There was a long corridor with thirty-two Roman arches in front of the patio.
Mission Church: The San Luis Rey Church, completed in 1815, is the only surviving mission church laid out in a cruciform plan. It is 165.5 feet in length and the nave spans 27.5 feet in width by 30 feet in height. A cupola – unique among the California missions – is an octagonal lantern formed of 144 panes of glass. It tops the wooden dome built over the sanctuary in 1829.
Special Attraction: The sunken garden and lavanderia (laundry), located in a hollow to the south of the mission may be reached by descending 46 fire tiled steps. Two springs provided water that sprouted from the mouths of sculpted gargoyles into the lavanderia.
Current Status: A consecrated Roman Catholic church attached to the Franciscan community of San Luis Rey de Francia.
