Discovering Mission San Juan Capistrano by Jeannette Buckley

Author:Jeannette Buckley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC

The first stone was put in place in 1797. Isidro Aguilar, a master stonemason, arrived from New Spain in 1799 to make sure the new church would be strong and beautiful. Inspired by the churches of Europe, Aguilar designed a floor plan in the shape of a cross, and he carved graceful doorways and arches out of the stone.

The church took nearly nine years to build. In 1800, a small earthquake shook the area and set construction back. Many of the pillars and support beams had to be replaced. Aguilar himself died in 1803. When the church was finished in 1806, it measured 180 feet (55 meters) long and 40 feet (12 m) wide. The arched ceiling was five stories high and had seven domes. It could hold 1,000 neophytes. The friars held a two-day festival and invited all the important leaders of Alta California to attend the first religious service held in what they called the Great Stone Church.

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