San Francisco de Asís is an example of a New Mexico Spanish Colonial Church, and is a popular subject for artists.

[3] An adobe wall extends from the back of the church and one of the transepts to form an enclosed rectangular area on the building's south side.

The roof is formed out of adobe laid on planking supported by timber vigas, set in distinctive doubly corbelled mounts.

[8] San Francisco de Asís was the subject of several paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe[9][10] and photographs by Ansel Adams, Paul Strand and Ned Scott.

"[6] The Taos Chamber of Commerce states that San Francisco de Asís is "one of the most photographed and painted churches in the world".