California's 21 Spanish Missions

Between 1769 and 1833, Spanish Franciscans founded 21 missions along El Camino Real (The Royal Road) from San Diego to Sonoma:

1. San Diego de Alcalá (1769)
2. San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (1770)
3. San Antonio de Padua (1771)
4. San Gabriel Arcángel (1771)
5. San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (1772)
6. San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores, 1776)
7. San Juan Capistrano (1776)
8. Santa Clara de Asís (1777)
9. San Buenaventura (1782)
10. Santa Barbara (1786)
11. La Purísima Concepción (1787)
12. Santa Cruz (1791)
13. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (1791)
14. San José (1797)
15. San Juan Bautista (1797)
16. San Miguel Arcángel (1797)
17. San Fernando Rey de España (1797)
18. San Luis Rey de Francia (1798)
19. Santa Inés (1804)
20. San Rafael Arcángel (1817)
21. San Francisco Solano (1823)

All 21 remain as active Catholic parishes, state parks, or museums. They are California Historical Landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage tentative site. The mission system profoundly impacted Native Californian cultures through forced labor, disease, and cultural disruption.