New Mexico Mission Churches

Starting in 1598, the Spanish built mission churches throughout the northern Rio Grande Valley and in some isolated communities west of Albuquerque as part of their efforts to colonize the area. Many survive today, albeit with significant alterations. The chart below shows the three main types of mission churches in New Mexico. The first column depicts planar, or flat-faced facades, the second column shows examples of churches with corner towers and the third portrays towers that were capped to help preserve their adobe finish. Click on the image for a larger view. More information on these churches is available in the book Sanctuaries of Spanish New Mexico by Marc Treib.