View allAll Photos Tagged TileWork
Before going to Iran I had studied the work of Horizon and other Flickrites, and had concluded that the best way to shoot the amazing architecture is head-on, maximizing the impact of their geometry and not adding anything with funky angles.
But what to do when it won't all fit in the viewfinder? (the original reason for all my funky angles). I tried snapping these muqarnas from the side (previous photo) and the center (here)... let me know which you like better.
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Khan Theological School (aka Imam Gholi Khan Madrasa or Madrasa-i-Khan) was built in 1627. I am not sure if there are additional buildings (I assume there are). We only saw an impressively muqarna*-covered entrance gate, a beautifully domed vestibule, and a lovely courtyard. The courtyard is a classic four-iwan** plan, apparently square, with shallow iwans covered in gorgeous tilework (apparently the same on each side). and was graced with palms, pines, roses, and citrus trees, and a reflecting pool in the center.
I loved that the plantings gave attention to all the senses... the sound of a breeze in pines and palms is a delight, even as their shade refreshes the skin; the scent of roses fills the air and the citrus trees made my mouth water.
To see what the courtyard looked like in 1933, visit ArchNet's pages on the school. Be sure to view the large photos - it's quite fascinating!
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*Muqarnas are used in many ways in Islamic architecutre... see this page on Archnet for a full description, history, and references.
**An iwan is a large arched opening in the wall of a courtyard. Usually there are four; sometimes one leads to an interior hall of a mosque. The architectural theme apparently dates from ancient Assyria but became common in Islaimc architecture. The four-iwan plan is commonly used in domestic, religious, and public architecture in Iran and the region.
Read more about iwans, and see examples across time and space, here on Archnet.
Masjed-e Jame (Jame Mosque)
Masjed-e Jame or Muzaffari is one of the historical monuments of the 14th century CE, famous for its magnificent portal, its mihrab and mosaic-tile decorations, and its historic inscription, which bears the date 1349 CE.
On the western side of the mosque, there is an ivan which originally dates from the times of Ali Muzaffar. It has a wonderful blue faience featuring shades of blue from turquoise to ultramarine, creating a vertical horizon of smooth shimmering tiles.
However, the mosque has been repaired in later periods, including repairs of the main part of its mihrab, carried out in the reign of Shah Abbas II of Safavid Dynasty. The wall of the Mihrab (altar) and the central dome are also decorated with admirable geometric compositions. The altar is open to the public.
The south-western portal of the mosque also belongs to the Safavid period. The minaret and the Muadhin`s cage of the Masjid have been repaired under Karim Khan of Zand Dynasty, and its mihrab is one of the outstanding parts of this monument.
Some essential repairs and decorative and tile works were completed in the year 1940. It is considered to be the most fabulous structure in the city and is located in the main square of "Shohada".
Mosaic tilework on a wall in the the museum at Sabratha. It was removed from the floor of one of the buildings of the ruins of Sabratha. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sabratha was a Roman city during the time of Augustus Caesar, located between Tripoli, Libya and the border with Tunisia. Original photo taken in 1962 with a Pentax camera, using Kodachrome 35mm slide film. Scanned with a Canon 9000F scanner at 2400dpi.
IMG_0020 (2) copy
When wandering, somewhat tired from sightseeing, through the streets of Belém on our way home to our hotel, we happened on this lovely little chapel squeezed between other buildings. What (at least to foreigners) is so special about it are the walls covered with azulejos. Azulejo is a form of Portuguese painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. It has become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture, having been produced without interruption for five centuries. Azulejos are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses and even railway stations or subway stations. They constitute a major aspect of Portuguese architecture as they are applied on walls, floors and even ceilings. The scene on the left shows Christ carrying the cross. The church has no windows and is lit by artificial lgiht. (Information on azulejos from Wikipedia)
The geotag is a rough guess. Best on black.
Beautiful brickwork & tilework inside the interior chamber of Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse, a traditional Iranian public bathhouse in Kashan, Iran. It was constructed in the 16th century, during the Safavid era; however, the bathhouse was damaged in 1778 as a result of an earthquake and was renovated during the Qajar era.
© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.
The photograph showcases the impressive Muhammad Rahim Khan Madrasah, a prominent architectural landmark in Khiva, Uzbekistan. The madrasah's facade is a striking combination of red brick and vibrant turquoise tilework, typical of Islamic architecture in Central Asia. The photograph is framed by a richly carved wooden pillar, which adds depth and texture to the composition. A few people are visible in the foreground, providing a sense of scale and human presence. The sky is clear and blue, suggesting a sunny day.
This link will bring you to my immersive 360° YouTube video.
A busy pub in Soho with some lovely tilework inside. It's very small, but there's some upstairs seating that's quite nice. Beers are good value for Soho, too. It's next door to Profile bar. (More recent photo from 2025, as well as close-up of history plaque, of tiling in doorway, and a view of the upstairs bar interior.)
Address: 18 Bateman Street (formerly Queen Street).
Former Name(s): The Dog and Duck Hotel.
Owner: Mitchells and Butlers [Nicholson's].
Links:
Beautiful brickwork & tilework inside the interior chamber of Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse, a traditional Iranian public bathhouse in Kashan, Iran. It was constructed in the 16th century, during the Safavid era; however, the bathhouse was damaged in 1778 as a result of an earthquake and was renovated during the Qajar era.
© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.
beautifully detailed faience tile work, especially the calligraphy that encircles the dome, above and below the windows.
Restaurant sign made of azulejos, Coimbra, Portugal.
Azulejos are typical Portuguese ceramic tileworks. This sign says:
Câmara Municipal de Coimbra
Restaurante
Recomendado - Receommended - Recommandé
Coimbra is a city at the Rio Mondego in Mid-Portugal with now over 100.000 inhabitants. The first settlement on the site probably was Celtic, later it was Roman, Visigothic and Moorish. In 1064 Coimbra was conquered by the Spanish King Fernando I of Castile. The first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques, was born here and integrated the city into the Portuguese territory in 1131.
Coimbra was the setting of the forbidden love of Dom Pedro I (Peter I of Portugal, 1357-67) and Dona Inês, a lady at court. The legend of their tragic love is omnipresent and still alive everywhere in Coimbra.
Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, Coimbra is better-known for its university, the Universidade de Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world.
The area around Coimbra University was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list as University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia in 2013.
Coimbra also is a city of the typical Portuguese music genre Fado. There are two main styles of Fado in Portugal, one is Lisbon Fado and one is Coimbra Fado, also known as Student Fado (Fado de Estudante).
Fado, Urban Popular Song of Portugal was declared as Intangible Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO.
Natur und Kultur in Mittelportugal (Nature and Culture in Mid-Portugal), Wikinger-Reisen, September 2011
A nice Oak mantel and glazed tilework highlight this lovely feature . It appears the small originally coal burning hearth has been converted to a gas log burner in the past.
The lower walls of the mosque are covered with Iznik tiles, a style of tilework named after their main production center, Iznik (ancient Nicaea).
The Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Turkish: Sultan Ahmet Camii) was designed by the architect Sedefhar Mehmet Aga on behalf of Sultan Ahmed I (1603-1617).
The nickname "Blue Mosque" is mainly internationally used because of the many blue tiles from the town of İznik (İznik ceramics) that can be seen on the inside of the mosque. The outside of the mosque is gray in color.
The mosque was built as a highlight of the Ottoman Empire and architecture. However, the mosque still has many of the features of the Byzantine architecture of the Hagia Sophia, which stands next to it.
Beautiful brickwork & tilework inside the interior chamber of Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse, a traditional Iranian public bathhouse in Kashan, Iran. It was constructed in the 16th century, during the Safavid era; however, the bathhouse was damaged in 1778 as a result of an earthquake and was renovated during the Qajar era.
© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.
Cairo's Islamic Museum is one of the finest dedicated to the art of Islam and its rich collection contains much to enjoy in all mediums.
Especially fine are the ceramics, with tilework and glazed pottery adorned with exquisitely intricate designs, whilst a good proportion incorporates elements of figurative imagery, normally forbidden under Islam and reflecting a more relaxed attitude to applied art and the pleasure it gives.
The museum is a delight and the beautifully displayed collection will richly reward a visit.
For more detail see the article below:-
Church of Saint Ildefonso
The Igreja de Santo Ildefonso is an 18th century church in Porto, Portugal, situated near Batalha Square. Completed in 1739, the church was built in a proto-Baroque style and features a retable by the Italian artist Nicolau Nasoni and a façade of azulejo tilework. The church is named in honour of the Visigoth Ildephonsus of Toledo, bishop of Toledo from 657 until his death in 667.
History
Prior to the building of the Church of Saint Ildefonso, a chapel, known as Santo Alifon, stood on the site. Its construction date is unknown, but several early texts mention its existence. The earliest known reference to the site and the original church is in a work by a bishop of Porto, Vicente Mendes, dated 1296.
The aged chapel, in danger of collapsing, was demolished in 1709, and construction began on the new church that year. The building took thirty years to complete, finally inaugurated and blessed on 18 July 1739. The first stage of construction was completed in 1730, when the main body was finished and the tympanum, bearing the date M DCC XXX (1730), was placed. The second construction phase, from 1730 to 1739, saw the erection of the two bell towers, and the façade and narthex were finalised.
The architect of the Igreja de Santo Ildefonso is unknown, though records exist giving the names of the carpenters, masons, and locksmith who worked on the building.
Extensively repaired following a severe storm in 1819, the church also suffered damage from artillery fire on 21 July 1833 during the Siege of Porto. Over the years the church has undergone structural modifications and improvements, including replacement stained glass windows in 1967, created by the artist Isolino Vaz. Nineteen graves were discovered in 1996, during renovation works to the narthex, an area that corresponds to the original chapel's churchyard.
Features and usage
Constructed of granite, the shape of the church's main body is that of an elongated octagon, with decorative plaster ceilings. The façade, also granite, is regular and mostly plain, with two bell towers and a rectangular recess where a figure of the church's patron stands. The bell towers include decorative cornices and dentils, and each tower is topped with masonry spheres, a stone cross, and a metalwork flag.
A monolithic obelisk stands to the left of the church, although it was initially erected on a set of steps extending towards Rua de 31 de Janeiro. Originally positioned to align with the bell tower of nearby Clérigos Church, it was moved to its present location when the steps were altered in 1924 to accommodate shops.
Two notable features of the church are the retable and the blue-and-white tiling. The artist and architect Nicolau Nasoni designed the retable, which was created and installed by architect Miguel Francisco da Silva in 1745. Approximately 11,000 azulejo tiles cover the façade of the church, created by the artist Jorge Colaço and placed in November 1932. The tiles depict scenes from the life of Saint Ildefonso and figurative imagery from the Gospels.
The church sits near Porto's Batalha Square, an historic, mostly pedestrianised public space that is frequented by tourists. The church receives many visitors each year, and holds mass daily.
Porto
Porto, also known as Oporto, is the second largest city of Portugal (after Lisbon).
The city has the status of global city. It located in the estuary of the Douro river, in northern Portugal. The city of Porto comprises 15 civil parishes. The historic centre of Porto was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. One of Portugal's most internationally famous products, Port wine, is named after the city because it is produced in, and shipped from the area or, more precisely, from Vila Nova de Gaia, a city just across the river which belongs to the same conurbation.
The Latin name of Porto, Portus Cale, is the origin of the name "Portugal" for the whole country. In Portuguese, the city is usually referred to with the definite article as "o Porto" (the port), hence the English name "Oporto".
Highlights
In recent years, UNESCO recognised its historic centre as a World Heritage Site. Among the architectural highlights of the city, Oporto Cathedral is the oldest surviving structure, together with the small romanesque Church of Cedofeita, the gothic Igreja de São Francisco (Church of Saint Francis), the remnants of the city walls and a few 15th-century houses. The baroque style is well represented in the city in the elaborate gilt work interior decoration of the churches of St. Francis and St. Claire (Santa Clara), the churches of Mercy (Misericórida) and of the Clerics (Igreja dos Clérigos), the Episcopal Palace of Porto, and others. The neoclassicism and romanticism of the 19th and 20th centuries also added interesting monuments to the landscape of the city, like the magnificent Stock Exchange Palace (Palácio da Bolsa), the Hospital of Saint Anthony, the Municipality, the buildings in the Liberdade Square and the Avenida dos Aliados, the tile-adorned São Bento Train Station and the gardens of the Crystal Palace (Palácio de Cristal). A guided visit to the Palácio da Bolsa, and in particular the Arab Room, is a major tourist attraction.
Many of the city's oldest houses are at risk of collapsing. The population in Porto municipality dropped by nearly 100,000 since the 1980s, but the number of permanent residents in the outskirts and satellite towns has grown strongly.
Azulejo
Azulejo is a form of Portuguese painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. They have become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture, having been produced without interruption for five centuries. There is also a tradition of their production in former Portuguese colonies in Latin America.
In Portugal, azulejos are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses and even train stations or subway stations. They constitute a major aspect of Portuguese architecture as they are applied on walls, floors and even ceilings. They were not only used as an ornamental art form, but also had a specific functional capacity like temperature control at homes. Many azulejos chronicle major historical and cultural aspects of Portuguese history.
This photograph captures the interior of the Sultan Ahmed Tomb located in Istanbul, Turkey. The scene is dominated by a magnificent dome, richly decorated with elaborate tilework in shades of blue, white, and gold. Several ornate tombs are visible in the foreground, each covered with a vibrant blue fabric and adorned with intricate patterns. Light streams in through stained-glass windows, illuminating the space and highlighting the details of the architecture. The overall impression is one of grandeur, serenity, and historical significance.
My 360° Istanbul Video on youtube
This link will bring you to my immersive 360° YouTube video.
The scaffolding has mostly come down since I last saw the Custard Factory's Devonshire House. It was still up when I took it last in October 2009. It is nice to see it like this again, although there is still barriers at the bottom. I hope that they have removed the graffiti that was on the bottom of the building last year (when sections were exposed to vandals).
My bus route switched to Bradford Street, so I can't see it from the bus anymore.
Was part of the Devonshire Works of Alfred Bird & Sons.
It was built in 1902.
Pevsner description:
Six-bay centre of 1902 with buff terracotta arches and windows, ornate lettering and a rich shaped gable with a ship in tilework. Parapet cut out like a pie-crust, waiting for custard.
A pair of buses. I was waiting for the traffic to clear to get a clean shot of Devonshire House (see the next few shots). Buses on routes 97 and 37. 97 from Travel West Midlands - 1797. Think that it is a Scania OmniLink, going to Chemsley Wood. The other bus is operated by Central Connect - the Touchwood Connection.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Express_West_Midlands_Fleet
Devonshire House is a Grade II listed building.
1902. Red brick and terracotta with some stone dressings. Four storeys plus attic;
3 bays. Ground floor of terracotta with 6 windows in recesses with ause-de-panier
arches, those of the 2 outside bays with ogee gablets. The 3 storeys above are
separated vertically by thin polygonal shafts with decorative finials which divide
the bays, and horizontally by wide bands of brick to the outside and of terracotta
to the centre. In the centre, the bands inscribed 'Alfred Bird and Sons Limited/
Devonshire Works/1837 and 1902' with foliage. Within the grid of shafts and bands,
the first floor with couplets of 2-light transomed windows with arched lights and
the second and third floors with central windows of cross type and outer couplets
of arched windows. Arched parapet with, over the centre bay, a shaped gable with
2 arched windows, tilework of a ship in full sail and little pinnacles. Left and
right of this composition, later wings of lesser interest, that to the left of 2,
that to the right of 8 bays. To the left again, railings with the Bird's custard
motif in them.
Devonshire House - Heritage Gateway
I did not intend to get that Ant and Dec Push the Button billboard.
One of my must-sees during this visit to Chicago was a trip to the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) building, where my grandmother worked as a waitress in the cafe in the late 40's and early 50's. She always told me how beautiful the building is and she was not kidding. Wow!
This Holabird & Root-designed, Art Deco marvel boasts one of the most beautiful lobbies I've ever seen, with gently curved columns leading the eye skyward to a long band of lighting that covers most of the ceiling and creeps down a wall to the main entrance. The surprises continue in the basement, where the original terrazzo flooring includes depictions of Deco-era aeroplanes (isn't that how you spelled it back then?) and elegant passenger ships.
Even my husband, who I usually have to drag along on my architectural adventures, was so impressed with the CBOT that he included it as one of his favorite stops on the entire trip.
Mudejar tilework. Imitating the Moorish patterns found in places like the Alhambra, but implemented with patterned rectangular tiles -- a cheaper material, less labor-intensive -- rather than as a mosaic.
The Hospital de Venerables Sacerdotes was built in the late 17th century as a nursing home for retired priests (looks like priests lived the good life), it now houses an art museum with a small but fine collection including works by Velasquez and Murillo.
the tilework in many of new york city's subway stations is astonishing, intricate, filthy and fabulous.
This complex and delicate section of tilework is a mosaic: each colored element is one or more separate pieces of tile. That is true also for the fine inscription, which is not painted onto a larger tile but is instead made up of myriad bits of white tile, carefully shaped and set within a blue ground. Indeed, the blue background on which the inscription rests is also a mosaic, carefully fitted around the script.
Kerman, Iran.
Tile-work in the "Frankfurter Ring" U-Bahn station on the U2 line in Munich, Germany. Taken by a Voigtländer Bessa R4M with a Zeiss Sonnar 50mm ƒ 1.5 ZM lens on Kodak Portra 400 film.
In the 17th century hammam (public bath) at the bazaar in Kerman, Iran.
Unlike the majority of the tiles on the mosque earlier in my photostream, this tile pattern is not a mosaic of small sections of tile, each having but a single color, that are assembled to create a pattern.
No, these tiles are more familiar to most Western viewers: they are evenly sized rectangular tiles onto which the design has been painted in multiple colors.
Of course, to see the overall pattern, it is necessary to stack two rows of tiles together, since the pattern on one tile is designed to conform to the pattern on the edge of the tile above and next to it.
This begs the question whether the tiles were glazed freehandedly or whether the artisans used templates to ensure uniformity from one tile to the next.
I suggest looking at this section of lovely blue and white tilework in flickr size "large" so you can decide for yourself. Are the patterns identical from one tile to the next? If not, could the differences be attributed to the artisan's skill in painting inside the lines (or the craftsman's skill in placing the template correctly on the unpainted tile) or do the variations suggest that each tile was painted freehand?
I think a template was used, but I think the template wasn't placed in exactly the same location on each tile, which would account for some of the very minor variations visible within this pattern.
The importance of tilework in Persian architecture arises from two important factors; first the need to weatherproof the simple clay bricks used in construction, and secondly the need to ornament the buildings.The colours used were blue, yellow, turquoise, pink, aubergine and green.
Looking straight up in the entranceway.... try it original size; it'll blow yer mind! :)
Before going to Iran I had studied the work of Horizon and other Flickrites, and had concluded that the best way to shoot the amazing architecture is head-on, maximizing the impact of their geometry and not adding anything with funky angles.
But what to do when it won't all fit in the viewfinder? (the original reason for all my funky angles). I tried snapping these muqarnas from the side (here) and the center (next photo)... let me know which you like better.
----
Khan Theological School (aka Imam Gholi Khan Madrasa or Madrasa-i-Khan) was built in 1627. I am not sure if there are additional buildings (I assume there are). We only saw an impressively muqarna*-covered entrance gate, a beautifully domed vestibule, and a lovely courtyard. The courtyard is a classic four-iwan** plan, apparently square, with shallow iwans covered in gorgeous tilework (apparently the same on each side). and was graced with palms, pines, roses, and citrus trees, and a reflecting pool in the center.
I loved that the plantings gave attention to all the senses... the sound of a breeze in pines and palms is a delight, even as their shade refreshes the skin; the scent of roses fills the air and the citrus trees made my mouth water.
To see what the courtyard looked like in 1933, visit ArchNet's pages on the school. Be sure to view the large photos - it's quite fascinating!
---
*Muqarnas are used in many ways in Islamic architecutre... see this page on Archnet for a full description, history, and references.
**An iwan is a large arched opening in the wall of a courtyard. Usually there are four; sometimes one leads to an interior hall of a mosque. The architectural theme apparently dates from ancient Assyria but became common in Islaimc architecture. The four-iwan plan is commonly used in domestic, religious, and public architecture in Iran and the region.
Read more about iwans, and see examples across time and space, here on Archnet.