described it as "one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States by the early Spaniards." The Taos Chamber of Commerce states that the building is "one of the most photographed and painted churches in the world". The church was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970. It is also designated as a World Heritage church. Historic Photographs Gallery See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Taos County, New Mexico List of National Historic Landmarks in New Mexico New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties (Registration no. 24) References Further reading Spirit and Vision: Images of Ranchos de Taos Church. 1987, Museum of New Mexico Press. . 80 images of the church, from a 1982 exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe. Hooker, Van Dorn. Centuries of Hands: An Architectural History of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Sunstone Press 1996, . External links Vintage Ranchos de Taos Photos by Ned Scott Category:New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties Churches in Taos County, New Mexico Spanish missions in New Mexico National Historic Landmarks in New Mexico Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in New Mexico Historic American Buildings Survey in New Mexico Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area Roman Catholic churches completed in 1815 National Register of Historic Places in Taos County, New Mexico Adobe churches in New Mexico 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States