AZULEJOS AND THE OLD TILE FACTORY OF BELEM

On a hill above Belem, Portugal sits Sant'Anna Fabrica (Calcada da Boa-Hora 96), the oldest operating Azulejos factory in Europe. This family-owned business is still making artistic tiles and ceramics by hand just as they did when it was founded in 1741.

FABRICA SANT'ANNA

The showroom is open daily and visiting this place is like going to a museum. There are hundreds of artistic tiles and ceramics on display and thousands more molds in the factory to choose from. They also make special designs per customer request. Less than 18 percent of the products sold remain in Portugal and the rest are shipped to customers all over the world. About 65 percent of the products are shipped to the United States. A replica of a panel that was specially designed for Barbara Streisand is on display in the factory.

SHOWROOM

After visiting the showroom, I made a reservation to return another day for the factory tour where the original wood-burning kilns are still on display. The methods, materials, and tools used to make the impressive Azulejos haven't changed much through the years and it takes many months to complete an order. Using natural clay, the tiles and pottery are molded, cut, dried, baked, glazed, and painted by hand before the final baking. Each individual piece is checked manually for quality using the same techniques and high standards that they have been using for almost 300 years.

 Skilled artists, sitting on small stools, were painting on tiles the day we visited, each with a little paint cart sitting next to them.

ARTISTS AT WORK IN FACTORY

One of the many reasons there are so many buildings constructed with tiles in Lisbon is that it was the material of choice when the city was almost totally rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake. Tiles were cheaper than stone and other materials and offered many of the same benefits.

On my last day in Belem, as I take one more leisurely walk to enjoy the colorful ceramic tiles that adorn the buildings, I have fleeting thoughts of returning someday to load up on Sant'Anna tiles to decorate my own little Portuguese villa by the sea.  

Related Post: Azulejos & A Vintage Tiles Shop in Faro, Portugal, October 12, 2016

THOUSANDS OF MOLDS STORED IN FACTORY

THREE MONTHS IN EUROPE

It's the end of January and our three months in Europe are coming to an end. This visit has been unusual for us in many ways: 

--It was longer than most of our trips.

--We were traveling to Europe during the winter.

-- I happily spent more time at playgrounds than sightseeing.

--Finally, we were following an itinerary that was planned by someone else.

Our daughter, Anna, and her family are spending a year in Europe and staying about a month in various locations. So I think you could say that we just piggy-backed on to their well-planned itinerary, choosing a time when we could be together over the holidays.

Here's a summary of our travels:

--Athens, Greece, and Crete Greece – November 2023

--Valencia, Spain – December 2023

--Belem, Lisbon, Spain – January 2024

LISBON

We rented an apartment in each location that was often within a few blocks of where Anna, John, and our three granddaughters were staying. I frequently joined them at the playgrounds in the afternoon where they could play and often meet other children. Anna and John are homeschooling and running their business while traveling. Anna is promising to write a book on their European travels—I will let you know how that progresses.

I enjoy the slow travel and getting to know each place well. I often return to interesting sights and can always find something new to discover. It's nice to have time to find your favorite cafes and restaurants. It could have been warmer at times, however, for the most part, it was in the 60s and warm enough for pleasant walks. We were in places where we could pretty much walk to wherever we wanted to go and take a bus or train as needed.

Life is different in Europe, however, if I were to pick just one thing that gives me the most pleasure it would be the ancient surroundings—sometimes dating back to 4,000 BC. Our favorite location was Crete—a place we hope to return to someday. A very special memory was the day we spent at the Acropolis in Athens with our granddaughters.

We are departing with unforgettable memories of time with our family and we are already missing them...…. However, we find solace in the fact that they are still experiencing new and interesting places in the world and in many ways, their lives will never be the same.

For now, Ron and I are in Mission Viejo, California visiting my brother, Fred. We look forward to returning home to La Crosse, Wisconsin in March and being near our son, Ben, and his wife, Erica. 

HERAKLION, CRETE

CHAIA, CRETE

BELEM TOWER, PORTUGAL

LISBON