Mission Santa Barbara

Mission Santa Barbara is a Spanish Franciscan mission in Santa Barbara, California. It was founded on Decemeber 4, 1786 and names after the feast day of Saint Barbara, for the religious conversion of the indigenous local Chumash-Barbareño tribe.

The early missionaries built three different chapels during the first few years, each larger than the previous one. It was only after the great Santa Barbara Earthquake on December 21, 1812, which destroyed the existing buildings, that the construction on the current Mission was begun. It was completed and then dedicated in 1820. The towers were considerably damaged in the June 29, 1925 earthquake, but were subsequently rebuilt in 1927. The appearance of the inside of the church has not been altered significantly since 1820.