We start at
San
Carlos Cathedral, which is located at Figueroa and Abrego.
Gaspar de Portolá and Father Junípero Serra arrived in 1770 at
Monterey Bay. They established a military outpost and a
mission in the name of the King of Spain. Initially, the
presidio and mission were established together at the location
of today’s San Carlos Cathedral. In 1771 Father Serra opted,
for political and social reasons, to move the mission to the
mouth of the Carmel Valley where it is now located. The
Presidio of Monterey remained as the seat of government for
the newly established colony of Alta California. The Royal
Presidio Chapel became the centerpiece for the Presidio and
from this location, the Pueblo of Monterey started to grow. In
1775, the Spanish viceroy in Mexico City proclaimed Monterey
the capital of Alta California. For the next seventy-five
years, Monterey served as California’s capital under both the
Spanish and Mexican flags. |
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The Royal Presidio
Chapel, completed in 1794, is the oldest
extant building in Monterey and was the church of
the Royal Presidio de Monterey. The church has
been in continuous service as Monterey's Catholic
chapel and as the cathedral of the Diocese of
Monterey. Note, in this 1901 photograph, the tiled
roof of the bell tower added by Father Mestres in
1893. |
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