Misión Santa Rosa de las Palmas

The historic mission church at the heart of Todos Santos is the oldest building in town and the anchor of the colonial-era plaza. The current structure dates mainly from the 19th century, rebuilt after earlier damage, but the site has been a place of worship since 1733 when the first Jesuit mission was established here.

The facade is modest — whitewashed walls, a small bell tower — but the interior holds some well-preserved colonial-era painted decoration. The plaza in front is a classic Mexican square: bougainvillea-draped walls, old men on benches, and the town's social life radiating outward from the fountain. Nearby, a small cultural centre occupies another colonial building and hosts art exhibitions and events.

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The original mission was founded in 1733 by Jesuit missionaries who were drawn here by a freshwater spring — rare and precious in the Baja desert. When the Jesuits were expelled from New Spain in 1768, the Franciscans took over and expanded the complex. The town that grew up around it is still supplied by the same spring today.

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