San Francisco de Asis Mission Bell Towers, Taos Poster

The Franciscan Brothers began work on this beautiful mission church in Taos, New Mexico, in 1772, and it was completed by 1816. It is located on the plaza in Ranchos de Taos in a historic district named Ranchos de Taos Plaza, about four miles southwest of the town of Taos. The Taos Chamber of Commerce states that the building is "one of the most photographed and painted churches in the world." The church is named after the Franciscan patron saint, Saint Francis of Assisi. It is made of adobe as are many of the Spanish missions in New Mexico. It has inspired among the greatest number of depictions of any building in the United States, including paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe and photographs by Ansel Adams, Paul Strand and Ned Scott. Georgia O'Keeffe described it as, "one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States by the early Spaniards."