Mission San Xavier del Bac, Tucson: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Mission San Xavier del Bac stands on the Tohono O’odham reservation 16 kilometers south of Tucson, Arizona, a whitewashed Spanish Colonial mission founded by Jesuit Father Eusebio Kino in 1692. The current church, built between 1783 and 1797, is the finest example of Spanish Colonial architecture in the United States, with a carved baroque facade and an interior covered in painted murals and gilded retablos. One bell tower remains unfinished, its flat top contrasting with the completed domed tower beside it. The mission still serves as an active parish. is just one of many options in Tucson. Major attractions worth considering include Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Grand Parlour at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, and Old Town Artisans.