Thrive meaning in portuguese5/27/2023 ![]() It wasn’t until the 16th century, though, that more intricate tiles became prevalent across Portugal, and moved from streets onto the façades of buildings-often covering them completely. The term “azulejos” hints at the art form’s North African origins: It’s an adaptation of the Arabic word alzuleycha, meaning “small polished stone.” Denizens of towns across Portugal used tiles like these as pavement-a technique they adopted from the Moors, with whom they’d traded and battled since the 8th century. The earliest examples are simple: geometric bits of clay, fired and glazed in a single hue, like white, blue, and forest green. Located within a former convent, it houses a treasure trove of the painted ceramic pieces, produced between the 15th century and the present. ![]() The journey began with a trip to Lisbon’s National Tile Museum (Museu Nacional do Azulejo). On a trip to Portugal this past summer, I was struck by the ubiquity and diversity of azulejos, as these tiles are called, and went on something of a pilgrimage to understand the origins of the tradition-and how contemporary artists, from Paula Rego to André Saraiva to Rem Koolhaas, are keeping it alive. My personal favorites are less grand, but just as mesmerizing: tall apartment buildings veiled with kaleidoscopic patterns and windows tucked inside alleyways, framed by depictions of orange blossoms. They blanket former palaces with depictions of palm fronds and strapping Portuguese heroes, as well as church walls with biblical scenes, rendered in deep blue brushstrokes. Walking through the Portuguese capital, nestled between the Tagus River and the Atlantic, you’ll find tiled façades on nearly every street. Under the Portuguese sun, the painted ceramic squares glisten like gems, set across the city. ![]() I like to think that Lisbon was given the nickname “Queen of the Sea” because its tile-covered buildings resemble the precious stones that decorate crowns.
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