[Artwork: designslinger]

Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico
The city of Puebla was founded on April 16, 1531 as "La Puebla de los Ángeles". It was the first city in central Mexico founded by the Spanish conquerors that was not built upon the ruins of a conquered Amerindian settlement. Its strategic location, half-way between the port of Veracruz and Mexico City, made it the second most important city during the colonial period. The historic center of the city still contains much Spanish colonial architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
www.sipuebla.com


Spanish Colonial Architecture
The earliest buildings, constructed of impermanent materials, have disappeared, but by the end of the 16th cent. durable monumental architecture had been achieved. This was a period of transition from Spanish Gothic to Spanish Renaissance, with many buildings reminiscent of the plateresque style, with contrasting bare walls and ornamental doorways, and others of the austerity of the Escorial. The cathedrals of Puebla, Mérida, and Guadalajara were also begun in this period. During most of the 17th and 18th cent. the baroque style held sway, and in the 18th cent. the sumptuous Churrigueresque ornamentation of Spain was exported to the colonies. In addition to employing the large forms and curving lines of the traditional European baroque, Spanish colonial buildings maintained the contrast between decorated and plain surfaces of the earlier period. In the Puebla region glazed tiles were sometimes placed on the whole facade of a building, as in the Church of San Francisco Acatepec.
www.questia.com


Talavera de la Reina, Spain
The city is internationally known for its ceramics, which Phillip II of Spain used as tiled revetments in many of his works, such as the monastery of El Escorial. The nickname of Talavera de la Reina is 'The City of Pottery' (La Ciudad de la Cerámica, in Spanish).
www.wikipedia.com


Talavera Tile
Talavera is the term used to describe faithful reproductions of the china and pottery that is made in the Spanish village of Talavera de la Reina, whose craftsmen have made tremendous contributions to the world's knowledge of fine ceramics down through the centuries.

Talavera pottery itself is a form of Majolica, which refers to all types of handmade enameled earthenware. It was first developed in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt and was further refined in China where it became very popular. The craft came into use in Spain by the Thirteenth Century, where its development was heavily influenced by centuries of Moorish domination.

Within Mexico, this style dates back to the 16th century colonial era when it was first introduced to Mexico by Spanish guild artisans. The city of Puebla is the home of "authentic" Mexican Talavera. It was here that the first potters guilds were formed that created standards and regulations for the production of Talavera designed to maintain uniform quality and Talavera's distinctive style and excellence.
www.mexicanconnexionfortile.com
www.spaintiles.info
www.artesania-talaverana.com