Museu Nacional do Azulejo (National Tile Museum in Lisbon)

The word Azulejo comes from the Arabic word Zellij and means “polished stone.” This style of decorative painted tiles, first in Spain and later in Portugal, were meant to emulate the colorful mosaics of the Roman and Byzantine Empires. Legend has it that King Manuel I of Portugal visited Seville, Spain in 1503 and was so taken by the fanciful tiles that he wanted to decorate the new Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal with similar designs. At first, Azulejos were imported from Spain, but soon, Portugal began producing tiles in the many workshops that sprung up. By the late 18th century, Portugal’s artists were cranking out spectacular Azulejo pieces at an unprecedented rate, due in no small part to the demand from the Portuguese colony of Brazil. <a href="https://destinationeatdrink.medium.com/museu-nacional-do-azulejo-national-tile-museum-in-lisbon-11b492a6bec0">Click Here</a>