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

AZULEJOS & A VINTAGE TILE SHOP IN FARO, PORTUGAL

PORTUGUESE ART

      We recently spent a month traveling through Portugal with a side trip to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. This is the first in my series of a vintage journey to the far western corner of Europe....

OLD TILE SHOP ENTRANCE

    

     As we started our Sunday morning walk through the walled city of Faro, located in the Algarve region of southern Portugal, we noticed a few people coming out of an old building and decided to peak in. It was a shop filled with brightly colored tiles (called azulejos in Portuguese) that

TILE SHOP STAIRCASE

were laid out in fascinating designs. These were the authentic tiles that had been removed from buildings that were hundreds of years old and were randomly displayed in artistic designs throughout the store. Many were hung or just leaning against the walls. Others were displayed on the staircase or lying flat on tables. One table was piled with Portuguese architectural books for customers to peruse for information about the tiles and to perhaps see where they originally came from. There were a few boxes full of single tiles that were priced at €15 each, but most were not priced. Dates marked on some of the pieces were 17c-18c.

VINTAGE TILES ON DISPLAY

      We were there on a Sunday, when all the other stores were closed. I expect that this tile store was opened per a special customer request because it was closed when we walked by later. The place was unique in that there was not a visible name or obvious store front. It was located on a street called Rua da Porta Nova in the old city.

TILED PANEL 16TH CENTURY

    As we were leaving Faro that day we noticed an old abandoned building that had been stripped of its tiles. This made me wonder if tile theft had become a concern in Portugal. It turns out that over the last 20 years there have been massive losses due to theft and lack of conservation. However, efforts of the recently organized project, “S.O.S. Azulego,” have cut the theft by 80% and increased regulations to help prevent the demolition of the tile covered building facades.

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TILED WORK OF ART ON PRIVATE HOME

      The Portuguese works of art called Azulejos are beautifully displayed throughout the country, similar to the frescos in Italy. They are more colorful in some areas than others. In Porto they are predominately blue and white, whereas in the nearby town of Aveiro (called the Venice of Portugal) the tiles are more colorful with pinks, greens and yellows.
     They can be seen on entire walls of churches in immense religious scenes and in geometric patterns on walls of homes. They frequently portray scenes from the history of the country or simply serve as street signs or house number. Although they are not a Portuguese invention (the use of glazed tiles began in Egypt), they have been used more imaginatively and consistently in Portugal than in any other nation.

AZULEJOS FACADE IN AVEIRO

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