A post dedicated to all of the gorgeous tiles on the facades in Portugal. 💙 These iconic tiles are called azulejos—hand-painted ceramic tiles introduced to Portugal in the 15th century. Beyond being decorative, they were used to regulate indoor temperatures, protect façades from humidity, and tell visual stories of religion, history, and everyday life. Over centuries, azulejos evolved into one of Portugal’s most recognizable art forms, turning the city itself into a living museum—where every wall has a story to tell. While in Lisbon we heard many stories of how people are stealing the azulejos and selling them, as many tourists want to take them home. So if you see them being sold, yes, they may have fallen on their own, but it could also be from an act of vandalism.