The San Gabriel Arcangel Mission building is one of the 21 Spanish missions established in California between 1769 AD and 1833 AD, in order to spread the word of God among the indigenous people and pave the way for Spanish colonization, and from this building and the village Los Angeles grew. It was built on the slopes of the Montebello Hills overlooking the San Gabriel Valley. The building is still operational today and a distinctive historical landmark of the city.