Tiles have been used architecturally in Portugal since the 15th century. Below are a few examples of tiled interior walls.

University Chapel, Coimbra

17th and 18th century tiled interior of Santo Quintino, Sobral de Monte Agraço

Factory Chapel, Vista Alegre

Tiles are popular for roofing and for decorating and protecting exterior walls.

Town Hall, Cascais

São Vicente de Fora, Lisbon

Palácio Fronteira, Lisbon

Palácio da Pena, Sintra

Tile history is the focus of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo in Lisbon. The first arista and cuerda seca tiles were imported from Seville.

Alicatado tiles are glazed, fired, cut into geometric shapes with pliers (alicates), filed smooth, then set in place.

Cuerda seca (dry cord) developed in the 15th century. Dark lines (linseed oil mixed with manganese) are painted onto a bisqued (fired) tile to separate the glazes during firing.

A metal pattern is placed on a slab of clay, then the edges are cut off with a knife inclined slightly inwards to make a faience / majolica tile. The tile is covered with tin glaze, which will create a white background and allow other glazes to be painted on without running together. A design is traced onto paper, then the lines are pricked with a pin. The paper pattern is laid on the tile and pounced with a bag of powdered charcoal to transfer the motif. Excess charcoal or mistakes are removed with a rabbit's tail. The colored glazes are painted onto the tile, then the tile is fired to 1796 °F/ 980 °C.

There are several ways to stack tiles in the kiln for glaze firing.

Old kiln in Lisbon

Patio with 17th century tile revetment at the Museu Nacional do Azulejo.

The Escola Secundária Artistíca António Arroio in Lisbon includes tile design in its decorative arts curricula. Students paint their own designs onto tiles, then fire them in electric kilns.