Azulejos are Spanish and Portuguese ceramic tiles, painted and tin-glazed. The Museu Nacional do Azulejo, the National Tile Museum, in Lisbon, tells their history.
In both repeating patterns, and pictorial panels, azulejos are found both inside and outside very many Portuguese churches, palaces, and public buildings, on walls, floors, and even ceilings. They are not just ornamental, but in some cases provide for temperature control within homes.
Of Persian origin - azulejo is derived from the Arabic zellige, meaning polished stone - the form was introduced into the Iberian peninsula by the Moors. Manuel I introduced the tiles into Portugal following a visit to Seville in 1503.
Following the Moorish tradition of horror vacui, the Portuguese often completely covered walls with faience azulejos, in a variety of colours. The blue-and-white tiles now synonymous with Portuguese architecture were introduced in the second half of the 17th century, from Delft, the Netherlands.
