There is very little reason to visit Mission San Rafael, unless you are (like me) on a mission to visit all 21. It is ignobly known as “the most obliterated of the California missions” since almost nothing is left of the original.
The original Mission first served as an asistencia to Mission Delores and included a hospital for San Francisco neophytes. It also had a chapel, padres’ quarters, and other structures. Eventually everything was abandoned and the ruins torn down and used for firewood.
It wasn’t until 1949 that a replica of the original 1818 chapel was finally built. The chapel has a star window similar to the one at the Carmel Mission and a bell rack in front. This and the adjoining gift shop is what they call Mission San Rafael.
Similar to Mission Delores, the San Rafael mission chapel is dwarfed by the adjacent Parish Church of St. Rafael.
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The simple plain white chapel has a red tile floor and a dark beam ceiling with suspended chandeliers. In the alcoves next to the altar are Mary and Saint Rafael.
The area around the Mission is mostly modern and there is a tall glass building across the street. Not much is evocative of the mission era.
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Alta California Missions 