San Diego Mission, main facade

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Exterior view of the main facade to the San Diego Mission, with its campanario (bell wall), stone arched doorway, and showing its crumbling adobe walls. The bells were rung at mealtimes, to call the Mission residents to work and to religious services, during births and funerals, to signal the approach of a ship or returning missionary, and at other times novices were instructed in the intricate rituals associated with ringing the mission bells. Today, all five bells are only rung in unison once a year and that occurs on the celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the Mission in July.La Misio´n San Diego de Alcala´, also known as San Diego Mission, is located at 10818 San Diego Mission Road. It was established on May 14, 1769 and founded on July 16th of the same year by Father Juni´pero Serra, serving as the headquarters of the Alta California Mission System from 1769 to 1771. This was the first of the 21 missions founded by Serra, and was California's first church.