Mission Dolores is San Francisco's oldest building, dating
from 1791. Its formal name is Mission San Francisco de Asis but it became
known as Mission Dolores from a nearby pond (long gone), La laguna de los
Dolores (Lake of Our Lady of Sorrows). The small chapel was preserved almost
intact, its 4 ft (1.2m) thick walls having survived two major earthquakes.
When the Mexican government secularized the missions in 1834 to acquire their
lands, Mission Dolores was transformed into a tavern and dance hall until
finally in 1859 was reacquired by the Catholic Church and reconsecrated.
Along the years the Catholic Church erected a series of larger churches
alongside the old chapel to accommodate a growing congregation. The last of
these, the basilica that can be seen next door was added in 1913. The facade
of the basilica is highly ornated, which brings out even more the simple
beauty of the mission chapel.
