Various old descriptions and drawings of Tumacacori show the buildings
to have been arranged with the long axis of the church running north and
south. To the east was a closed courtyard, surrounded by arcades and
rooms; here were the quarters of the priests, storerooms, workshops,
granaries, and classrooms.
North of the church is the cemetery where many Christian Indians are
buried. An unfinished circular mortuary chapel dominates this area.
After abandonment, the cemetery was often used as a corral. Grave mounds
of the mission period have long since been destroyed by weather, milling
cattle, and treasure hunters. Today, the visible grave mounds are those
of later Mexican-American burials.
[Illustration: _The monument patio_]
The church still stands, although the courtyard structures long ago fell
almost entirely into ruin. In 1921, some repair work was done to the old
buildings and walls to protect them against weather, a new roof was
placed over the long nave, and lesser repairs were made to other parts.
Repair work since that date has been limited entirely to preserving
existing original construction.
Today, you may examine in great detail the features of this stately old
building, seeing the many interesting structural elements of the baroque
architecture and the faded but original colors which the Indian workmen
applied. The unfinished bell tower of burned brick speaks eloquently of
how the last Franciscans tried in vain to complete the church.