点评:We make it a point to visit Old Mission Santa Barbara almost every single time we are in the area, and it easily stands as one of our absolute favorite California missions, arguably second only to the spectacular Mission San Juan Capistrano. What truly sets this particular mission apart is its majestic, perched location. Sitting gracefully on a high hill, it offers an incredible, sweeping view that stretches all the way out to the Pacific Ocean, framed by beautifully manicured front lawns.
Compared to some of the larger mission complexes, Santa Barbara is much more compact, making the self-guided tour incredibly manageable. Despite its smaller physical footprint, it is packed with rich history and beautifully preserved exhibits. The absolute highlight of the indoor collection is the historic altarpiece and its original 18th-century Mexican devotional paintings. Directly adjacent to the main church, you can wander through the quiet, shaded sacred garden and the historic cemetery, which contains the prominent, peaceful stone crypts of early Franciscan friars and influential local families.
Pro Tip: Just like many of the historic California missions, Old Mission Santa Barbara is an active, working parish church. Access to the historic main church sanctuary can be restricted or completely closed to tourists during daily mass times, weddings, or funerals. Be sure to check their parish schedule online before you arrive so you can plan your walk through without any friction.
翻译:每次来到这一带,我们必定会去参观圣巴巴拉古老传教站。它绝对是我们最钟爱的加利福尼亚州传教站之一,地位仅次于景色壮丽的圣胡安·卡皮斯特拉诺传教站。真正让这座传教站独具魅力的是它那雄伟而优越的地理位置:它优雅地坐落在高高的山丘上,前面是修剪整齐的草坪,从那里可以饱览直至太平洋的壮丽全景。与一些规模更大的传教区相比,圣巴巴拉传教区要小巧得多,因此自助游览也变得十分轻松。虽然占地面积不大,这里却蕴藏着深厚的历史底蕴,还有大量保存完好的展品。室内藏品中最值得一看的便是历史悠久的祭坛画以及18世纪墨西哥时期的宗教绘画作品。紧邻主教堂,游客还可以漫步于一片宁静的庭院之中。荫凉宁静的圣园以及历史悠久的墓地,那里有早期方济各会修士及当地显赫家族所拥有的庄严而静谧的石制墓穴。
实用小贴士:与加利福尼亚州的许多历史悠久的传教站一样,圣巴巴拉旧传教站也是一座仍在正常使用的教区教堂。在每日的弥撒、婚礼或葬礼期间,游客可能无法进入历史悠久的主教堂内部,甚至完全禁止入内。务必在抵达前在线查看他们教区的日程安排,这样就能顺利地进行参观。