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Fine art by George Burr etching or transfer drawing by artist George Elbert Burr, of the historic
Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson, Arizona.
Mission San Xavier del Bac
Nickname: Known as the "White Dove of the Desert" due to its gleaming white stucco facade, it is one of the most beautiful mission church complexes in the American Southwest.
History: The original mission was founded in 1692 by Jesuit missionary Father Eusebio Kino at the Tohono O'odham village of Wa:k ("Water Place"). The current church building was constructed by the Franciscans between 1783 and 1797 and is the oldest intact European structure in Arizona.
Architecture: The design is a masterpiece of Spanish Colonial and Baroque architecture, a rarity in the United States, featuring a cruciform floor plan with a dome, vaulted masonry roofing, and ornate sculptural elements. One of its two bell towers remains unfinished, an enigmatic feature of the structure.
Current Use: The Mission continues to operate as an active parish serving the Tohono O'odham community and is a popular pilgrimage site and National Historic Landmark that hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. |
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