The Mission Inn in Riverside California, built over a sixty year period beginning in 1876, is a living museum full of priceless art and antiquities. It has two onsite chapels, one is dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi and has glass works designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1906 for a chapel in New York.
Many Della Robbia style ceramics from Italy,
are on stunning display throughout the property.
The Inn is a National Historic Landmark which you can tour on your own or with a docent. The art and artifacts overflow the spacious Inn and there is a museum with more art across the street that can also be toured.
Ten US presidents have visited The Inn,
and there is a presidential lounge dedicated to them.
The mission style interiors are comfortable and spacious, but the most amazing spaces for me are all the inner courtyards which are like beautiful outdoor rooms full of whimsical artwork and constant surprises.
Exploring is great fun as everywhere you look you find precious art and artifacts.
The clock tower has a glockenspiel with full size rotating figurines that is a replica of the original built in Nuremberg Germany in 1709.
The Inn has over 400 antique bells. One from Nanjing China dates from 1247 and is the oldest bell in Christendom.
Cheers to you from the fascinating and fun Mission Inn in Riverside California~
Ten US presidents? The place is nearly a western White House. Impressive, one way or the other.
What a magnificent architecture!!
And 400 antique bells.. Wowwww… To manage such a grand place is beyond my imagination.
I am going back to see The Holiday lights. They had cranes and scaffolding on site and I hear the lights are spectacular. It must take a an army to light up the entire Inn!
Enjoy your time Cindy, and we we will be waiting for some more wonderful pictures!
Smiling. So kind & so appreciated Deeksha. Be well my friend.
I know, and the big question to me is why had I never heard of it until now. I’m making up for lost time though, we are going back to see the holiday lights which I hear are spectacular.
That might honestly be the most beautiful building I’ve ever seen: every inch is full of detail, and both the exterior and interior is extraordinary.
Thanks much! I am happy you see it like I do. We are going back to see The Holiday lights.
I look forward to those pictures!
So appreciated. Be well.
You too!
<3 <3
Cindy, your photography is simply beautiful!
Reblogged this on charles french words reading and writing and commented:
Once again, here is more beautiful photography from Cindy Knoke!
Friends like you are why I so love blogging! Thank you Charles. You are very kind.
Good one!
My story;
https://wp.me/pb2uFu-6q
Merci beaucoup!
Fascinating architecture Cindy. 💛
Thanks & happy you enjoyed!
If you did not say it is in California I never guess that. The architecture is so eclectic that it can belong to Europe, Latin America or somewhere else. Beautiful!
Yes, it especially reminded me of the beautiful and creative architecture and design one finds in the colonial cities of Mexico.
What a great place. I love the cozy seating area in front of the fireplace.
It’s perfect for a rainy day isn’t it.
Such a treat to view these gorgeous photos. What a beautiful place. <– Total understatement.
Thank you, Cindy! ♥.
Awwww, what a lovely comment! Thanks so much Niki & cheers my friend <3
So gorgeous! My older kid interviewed for grad school at UC Riverside…and if he’d chosen that instead of U of Chicago, I’d make a trip out there to visit him and tour this place. 🙂 Hope you’re having a lovely week, Cindy! <3
I think your child made a good choice, even though I am a biased UCSD grad, U of C is my mother’s alma mater and she is still quite loyal. Still, it would have been quite nice to stay at The Inn whilst visiting. Cheers to you Teresa and thanks for stopping by.
Stunning, Cindy!
Merci beaucoup mon ami <3
🥰
What a fascinating journey Cindy, definitely a place that I could lose myself in, and your pictures are a credit, brilliant with color and really detailed.
Thanks for sharing.
Your comment makes me happy I posted. Thank you for your kindness <3
So very beautiful….Stunning workmanship…Your images Cindy as always highlight everything and take me to places I probably won’t visit in person…Thank you 🙂 x
Awwww thank you so much for such a lovely comment Carol and be well my friend <3
My pleasure, Cindy…Hugs x
💞
I never would have guessed this was in California – looks more like a European location (like Spain from my distant memory).
It does look like Spain doesn’t it, which makes sense since Spain built all the California missions, but this one definitely outdid itself!
So beautiful! It feels like you could spend days there and only see half of all the amazing works!
Exactly how I feel and why I plan to go back!
So beautiful😸Pawkisses🐾😽💞
Hugs back to you and cheers too <3
A lovely visit through your lens.
Thanks for stopping by and enjoying my posts 🙂
((Hugs)) from a chilly autumn – amazing how time flies.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving Jules and thanks so much for stopping by. We are having an epic rainstorm at The Holler, two inches in several hours and it is still coming down. Such good news for the land of fires. Hope you have a peaceful holiday my friend and cheers to you <3
Now some of that rain is needed for the Australian fires…
Once your rain stops things will fast forward in the blooming department!
Beautiful photos and tons of history. Thank for you sharing.
Have an awesome day!
Will
Thank you very much & lovely to meet you.
Did you take any meetings in the presidential lounge? (lol) 🙂
So happy to be retired and no longer having ANY meetings especially presidential ones!
Looks like it has just dropped out of a fairy tale 🙂
Yes! This is exactly what it feels like, especially at night.
😀
One for my bucket list, Cindy. I love Mission architecture especially if my family had been there. So many to visit, so little time. Wonderful photographs.
I love mission architecture to and you are so right, so much to see, so little time <3
Absolutely stunning!
Hugs and thank you Joey ♡
exquisite photographs
Thank you. I look forward to getting to know you.
FANTASTIC PHOTOGRAPHS CINDY ON SUCH A GREAT CRAFTSMAN, CHINA
Reblogged this on LIVING THE DREAM.
Thank you for your kindness my friend & all the best to you ♡
I love the look & feel of the presidential lounge. Let’s meet there for drinks, shall we? 😉
Oh, please yes, shall we!
I love the Mission Inn… I’ve been during the day in the summer and at night at the holidays… thanks for these great photos. Now you make me want to visit again!
I haven’t seen it at night during the holidays. I know it is magic. I want to see it.
Wow, it looks like they’ve taken the best ideas and art from all over. I’d love to visit.
When you visit to sing (note I did not say if), you must let me know so I can come hear you and give you tips on where to go and what to see.
The architecture is amazing! Thank you for the beautiful tour, Cindy!
So happy you came along Amy. You make it more fun!
Thanks for sharing this place with us, Cindy. x
Thank you more for your kind appreciation & be well my friend.
Wow! This looks like history of another time just wraps you up into another world! Really liked the outdoor seating areas too, Cindy; comfort another era! 😊
It is magical isn’t it. So happy you enjoyed and let me know. Cheers to you Felipe.
It’s amazing how much beauty there is to still see on Earth, so glad you shared it with us! 😊
We will never have enough time to see it all and that is how it should be. The earth will always hold on to her mystery.
Yes! So very true, and yes, so very comforting I think too ❤️
Wonderful,many kisses from Romania
Visa versa 2UX2 in gorgeous Romania <3 <3
I look forward to welcoming you in Romania
I so look forward to meeting you and Romania. Thank you <3
That looks a really great place to spend a little time in.