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The Azulejos of Porto

The great churches and convents of Porto are blanketed with innumerable azulejos, the little blue and white ceramic tiles you’ll find everywhere in Portugal from 15th-century historic sites to restaurants both local and chic. Discover the most beautiful azulejos of Porto.

Although ultimately of Muslim origin, the first azulejos were imported to Portugal from Spain; until the mid-16th century, most were made in Seville and featured only geometrical or plant motifs. Around 1560, ceramists from Antwerp came to Lisbon and began to manufacture azulejos there. They used brushes to hand-paint all sorts of images on the tiles, an advance that coincided with the decline of Muslim influence, which only permitted non-figurative designs.

Surprisingly, it was not until the late 17th century that cobalt-blue paint became the exclusive choice for azulejos, and even though this technique became highly popular, certain periods returned to multicolour techniques. In the 19th century, azulejos began to decorate the outside walls of buildings, giving certain neighbourhoods both in Portugal and in Brazil their characteristic look. Naturally, azulejos followed the great artistic trends: romanticism, art nouveau, art deco, abstraction, etc. Numerous examples of all of these can be seen in Porto.

Here are our top 5 picks for the most beautiful azulejos in town.

Igreja do Carmo

The Igreja da Orden Terceira de Nossa ¬Senhora do Carmo is better known simply as the Igreja do Carmo. Alongside its magnificent 18th-century baroque facade topped with graceful statues of saints, the whole right side of the building was covered in blue azulejos in 1912, depicting an imposing scene of the founding of the Carmelite order.

Estação de São Bento

In a less religious vein, the azulejos of São Bento train station, with their war scenes and other historic themes, are more than worth a trip.

Built on the site of a former convent, this train station is especially worth a visit for its elegant waiting room. You can admire beautiful historic scenes consisting of no fewer than 20,000 azulejos, painted by Jorge Colaço in 1930. The scenes trace major events in Portuguese history and the evolution of transport.

Igreja dos Congregados

Near São Bento station on Rua 31 de Janeiro, the highly colourful baroque facade of the Igreja dos Congregados is decorated by delightful polychrome azulejos showing the life of Saint Anthony. Inaugurated in 1680, the church is now flanked with elegant 20th century buildings.

Capela das Almas

Also in the historic city centre, the facade and bell tower of the impressive Capela das Almas are entirely covered in lovely blue azulejos by the painter Eduardo Leite. The exterior of the 18th-century church also contains ceramic panels featuring the death of St. Francis and the martyrdom of St. Catherine. The interior, richly decorated with talhas douradas and other religious scenes, is also worth a visit.

A Pérola do Bolhão

In the purest Art Nouveau style, the azulejos in the picturesque A Pérola do Bolhão grocery will surprise you with their figures of Indians, unusual for Portugal. The marvellous azulejos cover the facade of this charming shop at 279, Rua Formosa.

Excerpt from the Guide Ulysse Porto, by Marc Rigole