You see them everywhere in Portugal: azulejos, the colourful tiles. But what do they actually tell us?

Anyone walking through the streets of Lisbon or Porto can hardly fail to notice them: distinctive façades covered from top to bottom in colourful, glossy tiles. They give Portuguese cities a charm you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

Sometimes they form crisp geometric patterns, sometimes they are classic blue and white, and sometimes the colours of the façades really pop. Especially when the Portuguese sun shines on them, entire streets are transformed into a colourful spectacle.

A colourful feature of Portugal

When travelling through Portugal, it’s almost impossible to miss them. You’ll come across them on façades, palaces, fountains, churches and even street signs: azulejos, the traditional colourful glazed tiles that are so characteristic of Portugal.

But why are Portuguese houses so often adorned with these tiles? And what do all those images tell us?

Much more than just decoration

Azulejos are much more than just pretty decorations. They reveal a great deal about Portugal’s history and culture. Some tiles feature simple or, conversely, intricate patterns, whilst others tell entire stories. You’ll see religious scenes, historical events, landscapes and scenes from everyday life, or simply beautiful designs in the most stunning colours.

The history of azulejos goes back centuries. This colourful art of tile-making came to the Iberian Peninsula via Moorish culture and eventually found its way to Portugal. Even the name is thought to have Arabic origins: ‘azulejo’ is said to be derived from ‘al-zulayj’, which means something like a small polished stone or tile.

Over the centuries, azulejos have also evolved. Initially, they were mainly colourful, featuring shades of yellow, green and earth tones. Later, the combination of blue and white became particularly popular. The tiles were increasingly used to tell stories: about everyday life, historical events and the local surroundings. In this way, azulejos became an ever more integral part of the Portuguese streetscape.

Why are azulejos so often blue and white?

You may have noticed that there are a striking number of blue-and-white azulejos in Portugal. There’s an interesting story behind this.

In the 17th century, the European elite became fascinated by blue-and-white porcelain from China. Dutch Delft blue pottery was also popular. This influence reached Portugal, where craftsmen began to produce blue-and-white tiles with increasing frequency. This is how the iconic azulejos, with their detailed images and decorations, came into being.

Beautiful and practical

Whilst azulejos are, of course, a delight to look at, they also serve an important purpose. Portugal has hot summers, but the climate can be particularly humid, especially along the Atlantic coast. The tiles help to protect the façades from damp and rain and are also easy to clean. Furthermore, their glossy surface reflects some of the sunlight.

Beautiful to look at and practical: it is precisely this combination that makes azulejos so special.

Aveiro railway station: a story told in tiles

During my travels through Portugal, there have been quite a few places where I’ve stopped to admire the tiles. But the old railway station in Aveiro perhaps made the biggest impression on me.

I was lucky to have a clear blue sky, which really brought out the beauty of the white building with its blue tiles. The azulejos on the façade tell the story of Aveiro and the surrounding area. You can see images of fishermen, traditional moliceiro boats, canals and local landscapes, as well as scenes from everyday life around the lagoon. The longer you look, the more you discover.

It’s as if you’re stepping back in time for a moment and seeing the Aveiro of yesteryear before your eyes.

Take a look around you a bit more often

Perhaps that’s the best thing about travelling through Portugal. Take a look around you a bit more often and let yourself be surprised by the tiles you come across along the way. You’ll naturally start to notice them more and more. Perhaps now, after reading this story, you’ll look at them just a little more closely too.

And do you find them just as beautiful as I do? If so, small azulejos also make a lovely souvenir to take home with you.

Fancy seeing some more azulejos?

Are you in Lisbon and would you like to see lots more beautiful azulejos? Then a visit to the Museu Nacional do Azulejo is definitely worth it. Here you can find out all about the history of these unique Portuguese tiles.

This article has been published on Reisleven on Monday 24th of August.