Mission San Rafael Arcangel is just 11 miles south of Novato and is one of the Bay Area’s most interesting California Missions. Built as a hospital to treat sick Native Americans who had converted to Christianity, Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga of the San Francisco Presidio had recommended the location for its sunny slope and shelter from winds and fog by the rolling hills. Located across the bay from Mission Dolores, the first group showed surprising improvement in health.
Mission San Rafael Arcangel is home to important artifacts housed both inside the church building, in the grounds and in the museum. There are paintings and drawings from the mission period and three of the original bells that rang outside the mission in the 1820’s can be seen.
