Downtown Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

The Annunciation Mosaic

Photographed by J. J. Prats, December 4, 2018

1. The Annunciation Mosaic Marker

Inscription. The Annunciation mosaic on the church facade is a reproduction of a detail from the image of Our Lady of the Angels in the Portiúncula Chapel at Assisi. This image provided the inspiration from which the city was named to honor Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles. The mosaic was erected in 1981 to commemorate the bicentennial of the founding of the city.

Erected 1981 by His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Manning, Archbishop of Los Angeles, and presented to the parishioners of La Placita and the people of the City of Los Angeles on September 4, 1981.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Hispanic Americans • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1981.

Location. 34° 3.416′ N, 118° 14.356′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Downtown Los Angeles. It is on North Main Street north of Arcadia Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 535 N Main St, Los Angeles CA 90012, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles (here, next to this marker); El Camino Real (a few steps from this marker); Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles (a few steps

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from this marker); Historic Los Angeles Cemetery (a few steps from this marker); Yangna (within shouting distance of this marker); Spanish Expeditions Into Southern California (within shouting distance of this marker); Villavicencio (within shouting distance of this marker); Settlement of a City (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.

Regarding The Annunciation Mosaic. This mosaic replaced a 1861 fresco by Henri Joseph Penelon.

Also see . . . The Annunciation Mosaic at the Plaza Church in Los Angeles. 2016 article by Vicky Kall in History Los Angeles County Blog. Excerpt:

This mosaic at the Plaza Church is actually a replica of a painting in Italy created in 1393 by Ilario da Viterbo. “The Annunciation,” or “L’Annunciazione,“ was part of a six panel mural that da Viterbo created for the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli near Assisi. That Basilica is built around the 9th century chapel called the Porziuncola, which is where St. Francis of Assisi renounced wealth, dedicated
Photographed by J. J. Prats, December 4, 2018

2. Plaza Church
Main Street façade showing this marker on the right of the entrance and the mural above it.
himself to God, and founded the Franciscan order in 1208.

(Submitted on December 19, 2020.)

The Annunciation Mosaic on the Church of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, California image. Click for full size.

1981 Mosaic by Isabel Piczek. Photographed by J.J. Prats, December 4, 2018

3. The Annunciation Mosaic on the Church of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, California

This 1980 mosaic by Isabel Piczek is 11 feet wide and just under 7½ feet tall.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 19, 2020, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 433 times since then and 16 times this year. Last updated on January 18, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 19, 2020, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.