San Francisco de Asis Mission Church

San Francisco de Asis Mission Church
Mission Church of Ranchos de Taos
Shown within New Mexico
Basic information
Location	The Plaza of Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico  USA
Geographic coordinates	36°21′31″N 105°36′28″W / 36.3586°N 105.6078°W / 36.3586; -105.6078Coordinates: 36°21′31″N 105°36′28″W / 36.3586°N 105.6078°W / 36.3586; -105.6078
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Architectural description
Architect(s)	Unknown
Architectural style	Spanish
Completed	1772
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Added to NRHP	April 15, 1970

San Francisco de Asis Mission Church is a church built between 1772 and 1816. It is located on the plaza in Ranchos de Taos, itself a historic district named Ranchos de Taos Plaza, about four miles southwest of the town of Taos, New Mexico.

Construction on the church began around 1772 and was completed in 1815 by Franciscan Fathers and its patron is Saint Francis of Assisi. It is made of adobe, similar to many of the other Spanish missions in New Mexico. It was the center of the fortified Ranchos de Taos Plaza for protection against Comanche attackers.

It is located a few miles south of Taos Pueblo and has inspired some of the greatest number of depictions of any building in the United States. It was the subject of several paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe, and photographs by Ansel Adams, Paul Strand and Ned Scott. Georgia O'Keeffe described it as "one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States by the early Spaniards." The Taos Chamber of Commerce states that the building is "one of the most photographed and painted churches in the world".

It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970. It is also designated as a World Heritage church.

Historic photograph of the church's front exterior, 1934.

Historic photograph of the church exterior, 1934.

Historic photograph of the church interior, 1934.

Front exterior

The famous rear exterior

Main altar, repainted 1981.

One of the two altars in the church interior.