Ventura, California
A wooden cross has stood on this hill since the Mission's first years. Today the ground around it is a park for everyone, and a place to be married above the sea.
The Cross among the olive trees, the ocean beyond.
The park
WeddingsCeremonies and receptions for up to 250 people, with the ocean behind you.
See dates and rates
HistoryFather Junípero Serra planted a cross in Ventura in 1782. The one on the hill today went up in 1941.
Read the history
GiveGifts replant what the Thomas Fire took and pay for water, insurance and upkeep.
Make a giftIn January 2010, stoneworkers from around the world built the ramparts in ten days. A family from Japan that has built castle walls for eight generations led the work, using stone from an Ojai quarry.
The walls are dry-stone, with no mortar, held by gravity alone. The Stone Foundation brought rock knockers from several states to learn the method. A hand-carved stone sphere sits on one rampart.
Read about the stonework
After the fire
On December 5, 2017, the Thomas Fire burned much of the park. Firefighters saved the Cross.
Volunteers have been replanting the hillside ever since. Pete Dufau of Dufau Landscape in Ventura donated and installed part of the new landscaping.
Every gift replants what the fire took and keeps the park cared for all year.
Serra Cross Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Tax ID 20-8615264.
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