Cupola La Misión San José de Tumacácori
Tumacacori National Historical Park, Tumacacori
When the first repairs to the dome exterior and cupola were completed in 1921, a new cross was installed. Sometime in 1922 it was discovered that the cross was placed facing east-west, when the façade pediment cross faces north-south. Soon, it was repositioned to face north-south to match the Peniment Cross.
Later in the 1960's, it was noticed that the lantern is positioned slightly off center, 6 to 8 inches to the north of the dome’s apex. A hypothesis stated that “perhaps the twelve steps leading up the south side of the dome, and the slightly offset lantern, in addition to serving the practical purpose of reaching the feature more easily for making repairs, were so placed to achieve better esthetic balance, i.e., such placement had the artistic effect of breaking the monotonous line of the dome.