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Also called dais, normally used in teahouses (chaikhanas). Here standing in the inner court of Tillya-Kari Madrassah, one of the three main buildings of Samarkand Registan.
Built in 1732, Cathrinesminde is now an industrial museum providing an insight on how tile was produced back in the day.
Located in Iller / Broager in Southern Jutland, Denmark - German land from 1864 - 1920,. the owner of Cathrinesminde, Chrisdian Hollesen, was drafted for the German Army on August 1, 1914 and sent into war.
Until his return from the war in 1918, his girlfriend Ingeborg Andresen was In charge of the tileworks.
Beautiful brickwork & tilework on the interior ceiling 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.
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The tilework seen on the outside walls is a common way Lisboans decorate establisments and homes. Obviously it beautifies any structure adorned with this material, but I also heard it said that these gorgrous tiles reflect light into the darkened alleys and walkways at different times of the day.
Livraria Bertrand is the oldest and largest bookstore chain in Portugal. Since it was launched in 1732, the Chiado Bertrand Bookstore stayed open, and has thus entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest bookstore in the world still in operation.
Blue dome of Mir i Arab Medressa shined by the first morning rays of the sun, on the left the 12th-century Kalon (Kalyan) Minaret, Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
The Mir-i-Arab Medressa stands opposite the Kalon Mosque in the historic center of Bukhara. Founded in the 16th century, the Islamic school features two distinctive blue domes and other tilework.
Erected 1530-36.
Blue tiles turned greenish, due to yellow morning sun rays.
www.sacred-destinations.com/uzbekistan/bukhara-mir-i-arab...
Flickr Explore: August 30, 2007.
Detail of Islamic tilework from the Court of Myrtles (or Patio de los Arrayanes) of The Alhambra in Granada, Spain. What do we have here? Loads of Islamic eight point stars! (And even more at my "Islamic Art" set:-) The Alhambra is a very unique place for Islamic art and architecture. Muslims ruled Spain from 711 to 1492 and Granada was the last city to fall.
The eye-catching building dates to 1864. Its trompe l’oeil azulejos (hand-painted tiles) depict allegorical figures and the elements.
Outside the legendary Pastéis de Belém bakery in Lisbon, this azulejo wall captures the charm that makes the neighborhood feel timeless. The geometric pattern—deep blues, soft greens, and warm amber diamonds—shows the hand-painted irregularities and fine cracks that come only with age. Each tile reflects Lisbon’s layered history, from Moorish influence to centuries of ceramic craftsmanship that turned everyday walls into works of art.
In the center, the bakery’s classic Pastéis de Belém sticker blends into the pattern so naturally it feels almost intentional, as if the brand and the wall were always meant to belong to each other. The worn edges, chipped glaze, and sun-faded tones add to the authenticity, grounding this photo in a place where tradition is still part of daily life. Standing here, you can hear the hum of the crowd lining up for warm custard tarts, the rumble of trams, and the soft echo of the past in every tile.
This small detail—easy to miss in the rush for pastries—captures a quiet, distinctly Portuguese beauty.
Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse (Persian: حمام سلطان امیر احمد , Hammam-e Sultan Amir Ahmad), also known as the Qasemi Bathhouse, is 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. The bathhouse is named after Imamzadeh Sultan Amir Ahmad, whose mausoleum is nearby.
【Isfahan, Iran】 Beautiful and dense blue and turquoise floral mosaics on the tileworks of the Imam mosque of Isfahan, a masterful ode to Monotheism.
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As the oldest part of Lisbon (and the only neighbourhood still intact after the destruction of the 1755 earthquake), Alfama has the strongest roots in Portuguese culture and heritage.
Its winding streets act as a giant mosaic, pin-pricked with colorful tiles (called "Azulejo" - painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework) that paint a larger picture of the city. Houses are dressed up in geometric patterns, whilst intimate workshops prove the craft is still going strong.
Stained glass windows reflect on intricate zellij tilework in a small room off the Grand Riad (Dar Si Moussa) of the Bahia Palace in Marrakech, Morocco. The palace was built by Si Moussa, a former slave who rose to the rank of Grand Vizier of the Alaouite sultanate in the mid-19th century. It was expanded by his son, Ba Ahmed, to house his four wives, 24 concubines, and many children. The Grand Riad is the oldest part of the palace complex and dates to the 1860s. Did some minor compositing to get rid of tourist legs, hah!
One of many Azulejos, found in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.
Azulejos are a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework.
They are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, restaurants, bars and even railways or subway stations.
They were not only used as an ornamental art form, but also had a specific functional capacity like temperature control in homes.
An Indian pilgrim photographs Ukraine’s mosaic in the grounds of Nazareth’s Annunciation Basilica.
Different countries have contributed a mosaic or tilework of the Blessed Virgin Mary, reflecting national artistic styles, to the Annunciation Basilica. Sixteen are inside on the walls of the Upper Church; at least another forty-three, of which this is one, are on the walls of the grounds.
The Basilica of the Annunciation (Arabic: كنيسة البشارة, Hebrew: כנסיית הבשורה), is a Roman Catholic church in Nazareth. It is one of two claimants to the site of the Annunciation – in which angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced that she would give birth to Jesus. It was established over what Catholic tradition holds to be the site of the house of the Virgin Mary.
Tradition holds that a church on this site was commissioned by Emperor Constantine I, whose mother, Saint Helena, helped to found churches commemorating important events in Jesus Christ's life; certainly a church is known to have been in existence on this site by around 570. Other buildings followed on the same site.
The current basilica, however, is a a sort of magnificently triumphalist Vatican II brutalism in reinforced concrete. Designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Muzio in the Italian Brutalism style, and built by the Israeli building firm Solel Boneh, it was erected from 1960–9. The interior colour and light is simply magnificent.
It is a two-storey complex build over the site of earlier Byzantine, Crusader, and Ottoman churches. The lower level contains the Grotto of the Annunciation, believed by many Christians to be the remains of the original childhood home of Mary; while the Upper church is the main site in which pilgrim groups celebrate mass. Inside and outside the Cathedral are images of Mary from countries around the world.
Pope Paul VI celebrated Mass in the new church during his trip to the Holy Land in 1964, before the basilica was completed five years later. Used by the Latin parish, it remains under the control of the Franciscans. It is the largest Christian Church building or sanctuary in the Middle East under the supervision of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
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ISFAHAN-in progress
The unique blue tiles of Isfahan's Islamic buildings, and the city's majestic bridges, contrast perfectly with the hot, dry Iranian countryside around it, Isfahan is a sight you won't forget. Not only is the architecture superb and the climate pleasant, but there's a fairly relaxed atmosphere here, compared with many other Iranian towns. It's a city for walking, getting lost in the bazaar, walking in beautiful gardens and meeting people.
The famous half-rhyme Isfahan nesf-e-jahan (Esfahan is half the world) was coined in the 16th century to express the city's grandeur. There's so much to see that you'll probably have to ration your time and concentrate on must-sees such as the Imam Mosque, a magnificent building completely covered in Isfahan's trademark pale blue tiles; This mosque is situated to the south of Naqsh-e-Jahan sq. built in the reign of shah Abbas, tile work and architecture of this Mosque is amazingly superb. Its minarets Are 48 meters high. Naghsh-e-Jahan (world picture) Square, one of the largest town square in the world. The Chehel Sotun Museum & Palace, a marvellous 17th century pavilion and a great place for a picnic; this palace is another building dating back to the Safavid period, built amidst a vast garden covering an area of 67000 sq m. The building has a veranda with 18 pillars and a large pool in front of it. Being mirrored in the still water of the pool, the pillars create a beautiful view. The wall painting in the interior of the building is superlative in their kind.Ali Qapoo Palace Situated to the west of Naghsh-e-Jahan Sq. belongs to the Safavid period. It was used for the reception of the Ambassadors and envoys from other Countries. Ali Qapoo is a six-storied plasterwork and paintings of which are extremely impressive. and the Vank Cathedral, the historic focal point of the Armenian church in Iran. Taking tea in one of the teahouses under the bridges is also an essential part of the Isfahan experience.
Isfahan is about 400km (250ml) south of Tehran.
Porto
This train station was built in the early 20th century (King D. Carlos I laid the first brick himself in 1900) and inaugurated in 1915. It sits precisely where the Convent of S. Bento de Avé-Maria was located, and therefore inherited the convent's name—Saint Bento. The atrium is covered with 20,000 azulejos painted by Jorge Colaço (1916) depicting scenes of Portugal's history as well as ethnographic images. It is one of the most magnificent artistic undertakings of the early 20th century. The building was designed by architect Marques da Silva.
www.fodors.com/world/europe/portugal/porto-and-the-north/...
Humoristic azulejo in a tourist shop in Obidos
Azulejo (Portuguese: [ɐzuˈleʒu], Spanish: [aθuˈlexo], from the Arabic word Zellige زليج) is a form of Portuguese or Spanishpainted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. It has 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 and Spanish colonies inLatin America and in the Philippines.
In Portugal, azulejos are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses and even railway stationsor 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 liketemperature control in homes. Many azulejos chronicle major historical and cultural aspects of Portuguese history.
The art was introduced to Portugal, by the Moors and the craft is still in use in the Arab world in two main traditions the "Egyptian Zalij" and the "Moroccan Zalij" the latter being the most famous. The word azulejo is derived from the Arabic word الزليج (az-zulayj):zellige, meaning "polished stone". This origin explains the unmistakable Arab influences in many tiles: interlocking curvilinear, geometric or floral motifs. The Spanish city of Seville had become the major centre of the Hispano-Moresque tile industry, employing the old techniques of cuerda seca ('dry string') and cuenca.
The earliest azulejos in the 15th century were dry-string tiles (cuerda seca) andazulejos alicatados (panels of tile-mosaic) in Moorish tradition, imported from Seville by king Manuel I after a visit to that town in 1503. They were glazed in a single colour and decorated with geometric patterns. They were applied on walls and used for paving floors, such as can be seen in several rooms, and especially the Arab Room of the Sintra National Palace (including the famous cuenca tiles with the armillary sphere, symbol of king Manuel I). The Portuguese adopted the Moorish tradition of horror vacui ('fear of empty spaces') and covered the walls completely with azulejos.
Azulejos were used in large quantities to cover walls from the late 15th to early 16th century. A fine collection of 16th-century Hispano-Moorish azulejos (azulejos Hispano-mouriscos) can be found in the Museu da Rainha D. Leonor in Beja, Portugal (the former Convento da Conceição).
After the Portuguese had captured Ceuta (North Africa) in 1415 they became acquainted with the azulejo technique themselves. But until the mid-16th century the Portuguese continued to rely on foreign imports—mostly from Spain, but also on a smaller scale fromAntwerp (Flanders) (such as the two panels by Jan Bogaerts in the Paço Ducal, Vila Viçosa, Alentejo) and Italy (such as theAnnunciation by Francisco Niculoso in Évora, and Orazio Fontana).
When potters from Spain, Flanders and Italy came to Portugal in the early 16th century and established workshops there, they brought with them the maiolica techniques (which made it possible to paint directly on the tiles). This technique allowed the artists to represent a much larger number of figurative themes in their compositions.
One of the early local masters of the 16th century was Marçal de Matos, to whom Susanna and the Elders (1565), in Quinta da Bacalhoa, Azeitão, is attributed, as well as theAdoration of the Shepperds (in the National Museum of Azulejos in Lisbon). The Miracle of St. Roque (in the Church of S. Roque, Lisbon) is the first dated Portuguese azulejocomposition (1584). It is the work of Francisco de Matos, probably the nephew and pupil of Marçal de Matos. Both drew their inspiration from Renaissance and Manneristpaintings and engravings from Italy and Flanders.
This had an important repercussion on the ceramic industry, leading to polychrome tin-glazed tile panels in Renaissance style (azulejo renascentista), such as in the Church of S. Roque, Lisbon, and later Hispano-Flemish Mannerist styles (azulejo maneirista), such as in the Capela de Sto. Amaro, Lisbon. Most of the azulejos depict allegorical or mythological scenes, biblical scenes, scenes from the lives of saints or hunting scenes. In the same church of São Roque, we can also find diamond-pointazulejos (ponta de diamante) with diamonds shown in trompe l'oeil- effect and grotesques, in the style of a Seville workshop. These grotesques with their bizarre representations would be frequently used until the end of the 18th century.
In the late 16th century, checkered azulejos (azulejos enxaquetado) were used as decoration for large surfaces, such as in churches and monasteries. Diagonally placed plain white tiles were surrounded by blue square ones and narrow border tiles.
Shortly afterwards, these plain white tiles were replaced by polychrome tiles (enxaquetado rico) often giving a complex framework such as in the Church of Santa Maria de Marvila in Santarém with one of the most outstanding tile-based interior decorations in Portugal.
When the diagonal tiles were replaced by a repetitive pattern of horizontal polychrome tiles, one could obtain a new design with different motifs, interlacing Mannerist drawings with representations of roses and camelias (sometimes roses and garlands). An inset votive usually depicts a scene from the life of Christ or a saint. These carpet compositions (azulejo de tapete), as they were called, elaborately framed with friezes and borders, were produced in great numbers during the 17th century. The best examples are to be found in the Igreja do Salvador, Évora, Igreja de S. Quintino, Obral de Monte Agraço, Igreja de S. Vicente, Cuba (Portugal) and the university chapel in Coimbra.
The use of azulejos for the decoration of antependia (front of an altar), imitating precious altar cloths, is typical for Portugal. The panel may be in one piece, or composed of two or three sections. They were used in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Some antependia of the 17th century imitate oriental fabrics (calico, chintz). The golden fringes of the altar cloth were imitated by yellow motifs on the painted border tiles. Excellent examples can be found in the Hospital de Sta. Marta, Lisbon, or in the church of Almoster and the Convent of Buçaco.
During the same period another motif in friezes was introduced: floral vases flanked by birds, dolphins or putti, the so-called albarradas. They were probably inspired by Flemish paintings of flower vases, such as by Jan Brueghel the Elder. These were still free-standing in the 17th century, but they would be used in repetitive modules in the 18th century.
Another type of azulejo composition, called aves e ramagens ('birds and branches'), came into vogue between 1650 and 1680. They were influenced by the representations on printed textiles that were imported from India: Hindu symbols, flowers, animals and birds.
In the second half of the 17th century, the Spanish artist Gabriel del Barco y Minusca introduced into Portugal the blue-and-white tiles from Delft in the Netherlands. The workshops of Jan van Oort and Willem van der Kloet in Amsterdam created large tile panels with historical scenes for their rich Portuguese clients, such as for the Palace of the Marqueses da Fronteira in Benfica (Lisbon). But when king Pedro II stopped all imports of azulejos between 1687 and 1698, the workshop of Gabriel del Barco took over the production. The last major production from Holland was delivered in 1715. Soon large, home-made blue-and-white figurative tiles, designed by academically trained Portuguese artists, became the dominant fashion, superseding the former taste for repeated patterns and abstract decoration.
he late 17th and early 18th centuries became the 'Golden Age of the Azulejo', the so-called Cycle of the Masters (Ciclo dos Mestres). Mass production was started not just because of a greater internal demand, but also because of large orders came in from the Portuguese colony of Brazil. Large one-off orders were replaced by the less expensive use of repetitive tile patterns. Churches, monasteries, palaces and even houses were covered inside and outside with azulejos, many with exuberant Baroque elements.
The most prominent master-designers in these early years of the 18th century were: António Pereira (artist), Manuel dos Santos, the workshop of António de Oliveira Bernardes and his son Policarpo de Oliveira Bernardes; the Master PMP (only known by his monogram) and his collaborators Teotónio dos Santos and Valentim de Almeida; Bartolomeu Antunes and his pupil Nicolau de Freitas. As their production coincided with the reign of king João V (1706–1750), the style of this period is also called the Joanine style.
During this same period appear the first 'invitation figures' (figura de convite), invented by the Master PMP and produced in the 18th and 19th centuries. These are cut-out panels of azulejoswith life-size figures (footmen, halberdiers, noblemen or elegantly dressed ladies), usually placed in entrances of palaces (see Palácio da Mitra), patios and stair landings. Their purpose was to welcome visitors. They can only be found in Portugal.
In the 1740s the taste of Portuguese society changed from the monumental narrative panels to smaller and more delicately executed panels in Rococo style. These panels depict gallant and pastoral themes as they occur in the works of the French painter Antoine Watteau. Fine examples are the façade and the gardens of the Palace of the Dukes de Mesquitela in Carnide (Lisbon) and the Corredor das Mangas in the Queluz National Palace. The mass-produced tiles acquired a more stereotypic design with predominant polychrome irregular shell motifs.
The reconstruction of Lisbon after the Great Earthquake of 1755 gave rise to a more utilitarian role for decoration with azulejos. This bare and functional style would become known as the Pombaline style, named after the Marquis of Pombal, who was put in charge of rebuilding the country. Small devotional azulejo panels started to appear on buildings as protection against future disasters.
In Mexico, a large producer of Talavera—a Mexican maiolica, there are several instances of the use of azulejos on buildings and mansions. One particular mansion, the Casa de los Azulejos in Mexico City, was built in 1737 for the Count and Countess of El Valle de Orizaba. Ceramic making traditions were imported to Mexico in the early 16th century and have flourished.
As a reaction, simpler and more delicate Neoclassical designs started to appear with more subdued colours. These themes were introduced in Portugal by the engravings of Robert and James Adams. The Real Fábrica de Louça do Rato, with the master-designerSebastião Inácio de Almeida and the painter Francisco de Paula e Oliveira, became in this period an important manufacturer of the characteristic so-called Rato-tiles. Another important tile painter in this period was Francisco Jorge da Costa.
In the first half of the 19th century, there was a stagnation in the production of decorative tiles, owing first to the incursion of the Napoleonic army and later to social and economic changes. When around 1840 immigrant Brazilians started an industrialized production in Porto, the Portuguese took over the Brazilian fashion of decorating the façades of their houses with azulejos. While these factories produces high-relief tiles in one or two colours, the Lisbon factories started using another method: the transfer-print method on blue-and-white or polychrome azulejos. In the last decades of the 19th century, the Lisbon factories started to use another type of transfer-printing: using creamware blanks.
While these industrialized methods produced simple, stylized designs, the art of hand-painting tiles was not dead, as applied by Manuel Joaquim de Jesus and especially Luís Ferreira. Luis Ferreira was the director of the Lisbon factory Viúva Lamego and covered the whole façade of this factory with allegorical scenes. He produced panels, known as Ferreira das Tabuletas, with flower vases, trees, and allegorical figures, applying the trompe-l'oeil technique. These hand-painted panels are fine examples of the eclectic Romantic culture of the late 19th century.
Around the 1930s, Art Deco-azulejos made their appearance with their principal artistAntónio Costa. The monumental decorations, consisting of 20,000 azulejos, in the vestibule of the São Bento railway station in Porto, created by Jorge Colaço, show in its historical themes the narrative style of the romantic 'picture-postcard'. This one of the most notable creations with azulejos of the 20th century. The façades of the churches of Santo Ildefonso and Congregados equally attest to the artistic mastery of Jorge Colaço. Other artists from this period include Mário Branco and Silvestre Silvestri, who decorated in 1912 the lateral façade of the Carmo Church, and Eduardo Leite for his work on the Almas Chapel (imitating the style of the 18th century), both in Porto.
20th-century artists include Jorge Barradas, Carlos Botelho, Jorge Martins, Sá Nogueira,Menez and Paula Rego. Maria Keil designed the large abstract panels in the initial nineteen stations of the Lisbon Underground between 1957 and 1972). Through these works she became a driving force in the revival and the updating of the art of the azulejo, which had gone in some decline. Her decorations of the station Intendente is considered a masterpiece of contemporary tile art[citation needed]. In 1988 the following contemporary artists were commissioned to decorate the newer subway stations Júlio Pomar (the Alto dos Moinhos station), Maria Helena Vieira da Silva (the Cidade Universitária station), Sá Nogueira (Laranjeiras station) and Manuel Cargaleiro (the Colégio Militar station).
The Museu Nacional do Azulejo in Lisbon houses the largest collection of Portuguese tiles in the world.
cf Wikipedia
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One of many Azulejos, found in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.
Azulejos are a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework.
They are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, restaurants, bars and even railways or subway stations.
They were not only used as an ornamental art form, but also had a specific functional capacity like temperature control in homes.
One of many Azulejos, found in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.
Azulejos are a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework.
They are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, restaurants, bars and even railways or subway stations.
They were not only used as an ornamental art form, but also had a specific functional capacity like temperature control in homes.
I thought the egret might be the State Bird of Louisiana--I see them on Lake Pontchartrain coming in on the train--but no, it is the brown pelican.
The arch framed by turquoise ornament and decorated with rich stalactite tilework, a distinct feature of Persian Islamic architecture
Taken @Naqsh-e Jahan square, Esfahan, Iran
One of many Azulejos, found in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.
Azulejos are a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework.
They are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, restaurants, bars and even railways or subway stations.
They were not only used as an ornamental art form, but also had a specific functional capacity like temperature control in homes.
This photo was taken in front of the Abdulaziz-Khan Madrasah in Bukhara. The entrance is a striking example of 17th-century Islamic architecture, adorned with intricate tilework, tall arches, and colorful muqarnas (stalactite-style ornamentation). The madrasa, built in 1652, was intended to rival the older Ulugbek Madrasah just across the square.
The woman in the photo was not merely posing for fun. She allowed me to take pictures, clearly hoping I'd buy something from her—in this case, an embroidered tablecloth. We ended up purchasing one for €25. It wasn't particularly unique, but it felt fair to support her after she had stood there patiently.
Later, we observed the same tablecloths sold at many tourist spots across the Silk Road. It wasn't a rare find, but now it's part of the story.
Outside a Virgin Maria on the exterior wall in blue tilework, the so-called azulejos, It was completed in 1940 to celebrate 800 years of the Women`s Catholic Movement.
One of many Azulejos, found in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.
Azulejos are a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework.
They are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, restaurants, bars and even railways or subway stations.
They were not only used as an ornamental art form, but also had a specific functional capacity like temperature control in homes.