| Lisbon's azulejos |
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Tiles are a defining feature of Lisbon’s architectural heritage. Come and discover the art of tiling! Begin in the Tile Museum, located in the Madre de Deus church cloisters. With a huge collection of multicoloured tiles, from carpet patterns to reproductions of engravings, portraits and scenes from daily life and the bible, the Tile Museum tells of the evolution of tiles. One highlight to the exhibition is the priceless, blue and white mural depicting a panoramic view of the Lisbon that existed prior to the 1755 earthquake. Move onto the Bairro Alto, and the Jesuit church of São Roque with its magnificent majolica tiles in a diamond point pattern. Take a break for lunch while continuing your tile hunt. Try the Trindade beer-hall, with its interior finished in 19th century tiles by "Ferreira das Tabuletas". The same artisan carried out the historically significant tile façade on a building in the Largo Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro. In the suburb of Benfica, the Fronteira Palace and its gardens depicting a range of themes that include everything from battles, with scenes from the war of Restoration, to monkeys playing trumpets. And to ensure you get to all these locations in the best possible style, try the Lisbon metro. Many stations feature tiled designs by various leading contemporary artists. |
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