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Review:
Franciscan priest Junipero Serra founded Mission Basilica San Buenaventura in 1782 with the goal of converting the native Chumash people to Catholicism and Spanish way of life. Burned to the ground, rebuilt in 1809, and shaken by a series of earthquakes and threatened by pirates, the mission has a rich and turbulent past. The Mission Church is a magnificent working church open to Catholics and non-Catholics.
It features an 1809 altar and reredos built in Mexico and a number of other significant art pieces. Visit Mission Museum, which contains some interesting religious artifacts and objects that depict the lives of those who spent their lives in and around the mission. The mission gardens are a lovely place for quiet contemplation. To learn more about the mission, join one of the tours run by highly knowledgeable docents.
Mission Basilica San Buenaventura, 211 E Main St, Ventura, California, Phone: 805-643-4318
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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