A decorative ceramic tile, especially one with a blue glaze, traditionally used in Spanish and Portuguese architecture.
From Spanish 'azulejo,' derived from Arabic 'al-zulaycha,' which comes from 'zulaycha' meaning 'little polished stone.' The word traveled from Arabic to Spanish during medieval Iberia when Muslim cultures dominated the peninsula.
Azulejos became so associated with Portuguese and Spanish culture that they're still the signature element of traditional architecture—you can see entire walls and church facades covered in these gorgeous hand-painted tiles!
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