Mission
San Luis Rey "King of the Missions" is located
a few miles inland from Oceanside California. The mission is slowly
being surrounded
by housing tracts and shopping malls however the grounds are big
enough to block out most of its urban neighbors. The church was
built in 1811 and is the third church on this location. It
is a National
Historic Landmark, for its pristine example of a Spanish
Mission Church complex. Admission to the missions grounds is free.
There is a small charge to see the museum and mission cemetery.
On the grounds you will find the lavanderia, or open air laundry
area. The shallow valley in front of the mission was ideal
as both
a bathing site and a place to wash clothes. The ruins of the lavanderia
have been excavated and preserved for all to view. Also on the
ground is the first pepper tree planted in California. The tree
is still alive and growing on the front lawn of Mission San Luis
Rey.
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