City of Tiles
Porto is one of the oldest cities in Europe[1] with an incredibly diverse and unique architectural and design heritage.[2] The city holds gems from a number of eras and civilisations throughout history and you stumble across buildings identifiable as Roman, Gothic and Baroque everywhere you go, as well as contemporary architecture and art.[3]
We spent four days in the city this February and loved exploring the different neighborhoods and their character, visiting well-known places such as the art nuevo interior of Lello & Irmão bookstore, the iconic double-decker Dom Luís I bridge and modern Casa da Música.[4] But the decorative blue tiles of São Bento Train Station, Capela das Almas and Igreja do Carmo captured our hearts. You don’t need to have an interest in buildings and architecture to notice how incredible vast external tiled facades cover the majority of buildings in Porto; from the simplest of residential buildings to majestic cathedrals and railway stations. These tiles are known as azulejos, from the Arabic word al zellige, meaning ‘the polished stone’,[5] and this design aesthetic is so closely linked to the Portuguese built environment that it has become a key part of Portugal’s identity and architectural character.[6]
It is believed the Moors, who ruled over southern parts of Portugal in the 13th century, introduced the use of the azulejo tiles to Portugal. They had learnt this craft from the Persians (who in turn are believed to have been influenced by Roman floor mosaics in the 7th century).[7] King Manuel I of Portugal also brought the azulejo tiles from Spain to Portugal in order to decorate his palace during the 15th century.[8] In line with Islamic law, the tiles were originally forbidden to portray human subjects, and were instead decorated with floral design and geometric and abstract patterns, and these type of tiles are still prominent throughout the city. But by the 1600s, the Portuguese also started to decorate their tiles with human and animal figures and they became a medium on which artists could tell stories and recall history.[9]
Portugal quickly fell in love with this art form and by the 18th century these decorative ceramic plates started to invade churches, palaces, gardens, houses and stairways[10] and this design aesthetic and art form has since really taken off in the whole country.[11] The art-nouveau and art-deco movements in the 19th century also loved the azulejos and used them to create incredible facades and interiors for restaurants, shops as well as homes.[12]
External ceramic tiles aren’t only pleasing to the eye, they are also a very durable façade finish and incredibly low maintenance. Tiles won’t be affected by environmental pollution or light and they also add an element of thermal mass to the building envelope; reducing temperature fluctuations inside for the inhabitants and as a result improving the building’s energy efficiency, such as heating and cooling needs and costs.[13] The tiled facades which are especially prominent in Porto are therefore a perfect combination of functionality and an example on how different civilisations and cultures can merge together to form something beautiful, unique and symbolic.[14]
Please enjoy the below photos of some lovely tile designs that we came across during our time in Porto.
[1] Visitar Porto, ‘Historic Centre of Porto’ https://www.visitar-porto.com/en/what-to-see/places/historic-centre-of-porto.html
[2] Romeyn, Kathryn, Architectural Digest, ‘This Will Make You Want to Visit Northern Portugal—Before Everyone Else Does’ (March 22, 2018) https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/northern-portugal-design-travel-guide
[3] Genuine Portugal Tours, ‘Porto Architecture Tour’ (Dec 15, 2021) https://www.genuineportugaltours.com/porto-architecture-tour/
[4] Visitar Porto, ‘Historic Centre of Porto’ https://www.visitar-porto.com/en/what-to-see/places/historic-centre-of-porto.html
[5] Riobom, Sara, Portoalities, ‘The Best Places to See Azulejo Tiles in Porto’ (July 12, 2018) https://portoalities.com/en/best-places-see-azulejo-tiles-porto/
[6] Gonçalves, Margarida, Winte Tourism in Portugal, ‘A Tour of Portugal's Most Astonishing Buildings’ (Oct 21, 2022) https://blog.winetourismportugal.com/a-tour-of-portugals-most-astonishing-buildings
[7] Shapka, Lindsay, The Anthrotorian, ‘Why are the Buildings in Portugal Covered in Tiles?’ https://theanthrotorian.com/history/2019/6/22/why-are-the-buildings-in-lisbon-portugal-covered-in-tiles
[8] Riobom, Sara, Portoalities, ‘The Best Places to See Azulejo Tiles in Porto’ (July 12, 2018) https://portoalities.com/en/best-places-see-azulejo-tiles-porto/
[9] Travel Bunny, ‘Azulejo Tiles in Porto, Portugal’ (Dec 09, 2021) https://thetravelbunny.com/azulejo-tile-style-in-porto/
[10] Gonçalves, Margarida, Winte Tourism in Portugal, ‘A Tour of Portugal's Most Astonishing Buildings’ (Oct 21, 2022) https://blog.winetourismportugal.com/a-tour-of-portugals-most-astonishing-buildings
[11] Riobom, Sara, Portoalities, ‘The Best Places to See Azulejo Tiles in Porto’ (July 12, 2018) https://portoalities.com/en/best-places-see-azulejo-tiles-porto/
[12] Shapka, Lindsay, The Anthrotorian, ‘Why are the Buildings in Portugal Covered in Tiles?’ https://theanthrotorian.com/history/2019/6/22/why-are-the-buildings-in-lisbon-portugal-covered-in-tiles
[13] Why Tile, ‘Ceramic Tile Facades for a Visual Impact with Sustainability Performance’ (2023) https://whytile.com/guide/room-types/facades/
[14] Riobom, Sara, Portoalities, ‘The Best Places to See Azulejo Tiles in Porto’ (July 12, 2018) https://portoalities.com/en/best-places-see-azulejo-tiles-porto/
