Mission San Xavier del Bac , Tucson

The glistening ivory façade of this 15th century mission is a Tucson icon—but its past is more than history, as this remains the oldest still-active Catholic church in the United States. The “White Dove of the Desert” occupies a sere site in the valley bottom south of Tucson proper, and its parish serves the native Tohono O’odham nation. A beautiful example of mission architecture (the current building dates from 1783), the church building is known for its sparkling white façade, the unfinished second bell tower, and the religious statuary and murals inside. It’s the oldest extant European structure in Arizona.

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