Portugese Tiles
The Short History of Azulejos
Even though tiles are originally from Egypt, they were first brought to
Portugal by the Arabs, in the 13th century at the time of their
invasion, which also helped shaped Portugal’s culture. However, it was
in the time of King D. Manuel I that tiles were first introduced to
Portugal. They were, in fact, imported from Seville after the King’s
visit to Spain. It is said that he was so enchanted by these tiles’
brightness, that he had to bring some back to Portugal to decorate his
palace walls – the National Palace of Sintra.
Initially, Portuguese tiles were used inside most buildings. As they
were only bought by wealthy families, it is understandable that they
didn’t use them outside as much. Over time, the tendency was to use them
in every building’s construction, so it is possible to see them almost
everywhere. The decoration itself depends on the artist, or the
architect and constructor of the building, since you can decorate a
house with equal, coloured designs or pieces of art.