T is for the Tavira Vase

Now this may not be what you’re expecting, but I’m well aware that I’ve filled pages with the delights of Tavira, in Portugal’s Algarve.  So I thought I’d dedicate my “T” post to something I find quite intriguing- the Tavira Vase.

As I walk around Tavira I’m constantly aware of renovation work going on.  Many of the older buildings have been painstakingly restored, the Galeria Palace being a prime example.

At the reverse of the building, excavation has been in progress for some time.  A long promised museum, dedicated to locally discovered Islamic Art, finally opened in April last year.  On display are fragments of many of the mosaics originally incorporated into local buildings.

The centrepiece of the museum is the Tavira Vase, and I include the link as it explains the function far better than I am able to.  My husband describes it as a water feature, but then, he would!  http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;pt;Mus01_C;9;en

The museum is situated behind the Tourist Information Office.  It’s a shame that the information displayed is all in Portuguese, however there is a video with English subtitles to give you a historical overview.  I found it moved at too rapid a pace, and would have liked a little more detail.  It’s a good start, however, and as I wander Tavira’s streets now, I’m more able to visualise how once it might have looked.

If you’re not familiar with Tavira, then please let me introduce you.  I fall in love with it all over again when I read this post.

I’ve been contributing to Julie Dawn Fox’s A-Z Challenge for some time now.  If you’d like to join in, click on the banner below, or view my previous entries on my A-Z pages above.

43 comments

  1. Pingback: The Joy of Going Back | Bespoke Traveler

    1. You’re welcome! They’re not very obvious in the body of the piece. I think they need to be in orange or something. It’s an amazing thing though, isn’t it?

      Like

      Reply
  3. Pingback: T is for the Tavira Vase | My A to Z Blogging Challenge
  4. Pingback: Homepage

  12. T is for terrific post! I love reading your blog because I always learn something interesting. Tavira sounds wonderful and the vase is amazing.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much Elisa. I was surprised by the vase myself when we were there in May, and have been meaning to share it ever since. I was trying to keep the A-Z’s in alphabetical order, but gave in, in a moment of weakness! Thank you!

      Like

      Reply

    1. I have to admit to being a rainy day museum person, Marianne. The sun’s too precious where I normally live! But Tavira obliged with a few showers, and I was grateful.

      Like

      Reply

  16. I like history museums where you can discover what the places looked like hundreds of years before our time. A pity that the information in such a museum is not in English too, as I´m sure tourists would like to read about it too. I also visited some museums in France where the information was only in French, which was a pity.

    Like

    Reply
  19. Pingback: T is for the Tavira Vase | My Personal A to Z Challenge

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.