You may not have heard of Azulejos but I can almost guarantee you will have seen them around and about in your daily life somewhere. Azulejos are a Spanish/Portuguese ceramic tile that is decorated usually with light blue and white paint however it can vary from place to place. This ancient artistry has been around for centuries and can be seen in many of the historical buildings in the Algarve along with the rest of Portugal. They are not only used as a ornamental decoration but can also be used as a means of temperature regulation in homes or places where the public will live/work.
History
The origin of the word Azulejos derives from the Arabic word zellige which originally means polished stone. First introduced in Seville in Spain the idea was to copy the Romans mosaics. Arab influences can be seen in Azulejos such as the floral patterns and geometric motifs. Portugal began to use Azulejos in much of its architecture after a visit to Seville from Portuguese king Manuel 1 in 1503.The Portuguese were famed for taking on the Moorish tradition and adopting the fear of empty spaces which further lead to the countries obsession with Azulejos as they subsequently covered walls and paving’s with the decorative tiles.
The 16th century brought about the introduction of Azulejos in art and many artists began to adopt the technique. The 17th century replaced the plain white tiles and gave rise to polychrome ones that would be used in some of the finest interior decoration ever seen in Portugal, specifically in the Church of Santa Maria de Marvilla. Azulejos were also used in the decorating of elaborate altars in the 17th century they were designed to imitate precious altar cloths.
At the same time in the 17th century the tiles were also being used in a different way and often took inspiration from the Flemish as they incorporated more nautical motifs such as ships, waves and marine creatures such as dolphins many of these types of tiles can be seen in many homes around the world today.
In the second half of the century the Spanish artist Gabriel del Barco y Minusca introduced into Portugal the blue-and-white tiles from Delft in the Netherlands. These would continue to be popular among the Portuguese and would be the main form of Azulejos as the other more pattern based tiles fell out of fashion .
The early 18th century became known as the gold age for Azulejos this was because a large number of artists began to mass produce the tiles and so they became better and better at them. This gave rise to the style known as Joanine. The Portuguese also produced a number of tiles that depicted noblemen, warriors or other important figures that would be on show outside palaces or castles that were designed to welcome guests. Azulejos of this type can only be found in Portugal.
After the destruction of Lisbon in the earthquake of 1755 Azulejos also changed and it took on a more utilitarian role. The tiles were used to make the newly rebuilt city sturdier and were designed so that if an earthquake of that calibre was to hit again the city would be safe due to the hardiness of the tiles.
Where to see the best Azulejos in the Algarve
So after learning about these beautiful tiles and their history you may be wondering where the best place is to see Azulejos in the Algarve. In my opinion one of the best places to see these tiles is the beautiful town of Tavira, here you can see them decorated on many of the buildings in many of the classic Portuguese shapes and patterns. If you are looking to take home your own slice of Portugal look no further than porches pottery this small establishment is perfect for anyone wanting to see how classic Azulejos is made and maybe take home your own piece of the Algarve i highly recommend this shop for its authenticity and beautiful designs.
To conclude Azulejos can be found all over the Algarve and really is an integral part of the countries history. I also believe you can tell a lot about a country by the way its art looks and that being the case Portugal would be one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
I highly recommend taking a tile home from one of the many great pottery places still making authentic Azulejos as it can make a great gift and is truly beautiful. Thanks for reading and as always happy travels.