National Tile Museum Tickets

cristianoaless/Depositphotos

BY-SA 2.0 GenericVitor Oliveira/Wikimedia Commons

This museum’s tile collection brings together centuries-worth of design, with artworks like the Baptism of Christ to the Fisher of Hearts, and a striking 23-meter-long (75-feet) landscape of Lisbon that remains one of the museum’s highlights.

Each tile is like a time machine that captures every era since the late 15th century, from the geometric and metallic Hispano-Moresque techniques to modern and industrial pieces starting from the 19th century (and the exhibit route is in chronological order).

On the museum’s second floor is the Grand Panorama of Lisbon, a 23-meter (75-foot) panel made of classic blue and white tiles that shows what the city looked like before the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.

The piece is made up of 1,300 tiles that portray around 14km (8 miles) of Lisbon’s landscape, from Algés to Xabregas. Little is known about the processes and context behind Gabriel del Barco’s work, but it’s considered a priceless historical document of pre-earthquake Lisbon.

cristianoaless/Depositphotos

The Madre de Deus Convent was founded in 1509 by Queen D. Leonor for the order of St. Claire, and it screams “go big, or go home.” The church is a prime example of lavish Baroque architecture, boasting sky-high ceilings, ornate gold decorations, and walls dressed in azulejos.

The azulejos on the walls are symbolic, with the left side representing a life of worldly pleasure, and the other side depicting a life of religious devotion. It’s a single nave church that’s draped in gilded wood carvings, with a Roman-style triumphal arch that leads to the main chapel.

njarvis/Depositphotos

njarvis/Depositphotos

cristianoaless/Depositphotos

The convent’s cloisters and courtyard are the church’s more modest counterparts, offering a quiet and contemplative space where the nuns once prayed, walked, and went about their daily routines. It’s a two-story cloister, both levels beautifully decorated with azulejos.

The cloisters have elegant arches that frame the courtyard and lead along walkways lined with tiles that you could spend a fair share of time looking at. With scenes from the life of Saint Francis to biblical events, the cloisters are a must for their serene atmosphere and artwork.

Start your visit in the Techniques Room, a chronologically ordered exhibition that maps out the roots of Portugal’s centuries-long love affair with azulejo. It starts with 15th-century peninsular designs like decorative floor tiles with diamond patterns, imported from Manises.

The second section is dedicated to the first majolica productions, a tin-lead glazing technique that gives them their signature bright, glossy finish. Don’t miss the “Our Lady of Life” altarpiece, a National Treasure that’s a standout piece from the first Portuguese production.

The Hunting Room is a reconstruction of a noble chamber in the second half of the 17th century, and it has six panels that show scenes of animal hunting. Don’t worry, the images aren’t gory or gruesome. Instead, they capture scenes of pursuit, like the animals running while being chased.

The panels come from the former Praia Palace in Belém, and many of them showcase the typical green, gold, and blue hues from the 17th century, as shown by “The Leopard Hunt” by Manuel Francisco.

The Arches Room is an 18th-century space that showcases Rococo and Baroque-style azulejos. Some highlights include the life-sized male invitation figure at the entrance and the cropped panel of the Battle of Alexander of Macedon against Darius of Persia.

You can take a look at the chinoiserie (a decorative art with Chinese influences) with a large panel that represents the four seasons. The room also features Pombaline patterns, which are characterised by simple and often uniform designs on the room’s interior.