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TRAVEL/TOURS ADVERTORIAL www.nadfas.org.uk NADFAS REVIEW / SPRING 2017 51 Above: Detail from the Plaza de España in SevilleLeft: Decorative tilework in the AlcázarThe so-called Gothic Palace dates from the mid-16th century, during the rule of Carlos V. As you enter, your eyes are drawn to the magnifi cent series of 18th-century tapestries. Equally impressive, however, are the fantastically detailed Renaissance tiled dados, the work of one of the fi nest azulejo painters of the period, Cristóbal de Augusta. The elaborate design includes a wealth of fi gural subjects.Portugal is, for many, synonymous with the word azulejo, however the Portuguese actually imported tiles from Spain until the mid 1500s, when Flemish artists working in Lisbon began making them – after which Portuguese tile-making developed more or less independently from Spain. From Portugal the use of azulejos spread to the New World, including Brazil and Puebla in Mexico.Along with the Alcázar, the fi nest example of tile decoration in Seville – and of Mudéjar art in general – is the Casa de Pilatos, built for the Chief Governor of Andalucía Pedro Enríquez de Quiñones during the 15th century, and completed under his son. Among the fabulously rich decoration, the Praetorian Hall (dating from the 1530s) stands out for its sheer number of examples – over 150 different designs, made using the cuenca (or artista) technique. In this method of tile making, the different areas of colour are separated by raised borders moulded into the clay tile’s surface, preventing the colours from mingling during fi ring. The cuenca technique appeared in the 16th century, superseding the earlier cuerda seca or ‘dry chord’ technique (employed widely in the medieval Islamic world), in which the different areas of colour were separated by a line of dark, greasy substance, which burnt off during the fi ring process, leaving the coloured areas separated by dark lines. At the Casa de Pilatos, cueda seca tiles can be seen in the small chapel, which is one of the earliest surviving parts of the property. For a different view of the city and its landmarks, take a cruise along the Guadalquivir River. Seville’s Triana district, on the bank of the river, has been a centre of ceramic tile production for centuries – clay for pottery manufacture has been extracted from the nearby La Cartuja area since Roman times. Although there were once numerous ceramics workshops here, by the second half of the 20th century only a handful survived. Among the last factories was Cerámica Santa Ana, which in 2014 reopened as the Centro Cerámica Triana, having been converted into a modern museum with informative displays, several kilns (one of them dating back to the 16th century) and many different azulejos. However, a stroll will reveal examples across the city, including the enormous Plaza de España (built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929), with its 48 alcoves and benches – one for each province of Spain, and all of them lavishly decorated with azulejos. ■Images: Shutterstock.We are not endorsing any product in the Tours features. Adverts are published for members’ convenience. Normal terms and conditions apply (see page 3). Any travel ad carrying the Tour NADFAS logo means a commission payment is made to NADFAS on the product or trip advertised. Those that support us through advertising only will not use the Tour NADFAS name and logo.SEVILLE AND MOREA cruise up the Guadalquivir River is an elegant way to arrive in the heart of Seville and this year, the multi-award-winning Voyages to Antiquity offers six cruises where this is included on the itinerary.‘Historic Spain, Sicily and Italy’ (May 11, 2017, 19 days from £3,295pp) is an epic journey starting in Seville/Cordoba and taking in destinations such as Cadiz, Malaga and Cartagena, Valetta, Pompeii and Sorrento, Sicily (Syracuse, Trapani, Taormina and Palermo) before fi nishing in Rome. It features guest lecturer Dr Paul Roberts from the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford with an exclusive full day NADFAS excursion, cocktail party and lecture on the Storms, War & Ship Wrecks exhibition at the Ashmolean: Behind the Scenes’. Another option is ‘Madeira, Morocco and Seville’ (May 3, 2017, 13 days from £2,445pp); alternatively, consider ‘Andalusian Spain and Morocco’ (October 29, 2017, 12 days from £2,350pp), which includes Casablanca, Tangier, Fez and Marrakech.There are also cruises that combine Seville with France; or Portugal and the UK; or Greece. See the insert for more cruises, visit www.voyagestoantiquity.com/nadfas or call 01865 410095.