Puebla, Mexico: The World’s Only City To Make Talavera Ceramics
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When visiting the culturally rich city of Puebla on a trip to Mexico, one unique excursion is to visit the Talavera Santa Catarina ceramics factory in the Cholula area.
Puebla is the only state in the world to have an origin of denomination dealing with ceramics.
Talavera pottery is named after the city of Talavera de Reina in central Spain, the only other place outside the state of Puebla to make Talavera, although in Mexico it is distinctly different.
The style has Chinese and Arab origins and is distinguished by the fine clays found in Puebla, fired with a tin and lead glaze at high temperatures.
To meet official Talavera standards, certain government regulations must be met regarding its contents.
For example, the mixture of the clay must be a precise way, and the paints must be all-natural.
There are nine workshops of Talavera in Puebla, and you can only get the special clay in Cholula.
The process uses natural clay, and all the colors are prepared on site except for the base blue. All clay is molded by hand, meaning no two pieces are ever identical. Likewise, a big piece can take up to six months to make.
The stages can be seen above. The first stage is the barro clay piece, which is then fired in the oven. From there, it’s glazed, stenciled and painted.
If you’d like to see Talavera ceramics in the city center, visit Uriarte, a traditional Talavera enterprise since 1824, and the oldest Talavera company in Puebla. The factory makes about 20,000 pieces a month, still using 16th century methods.
Whether you want to purchase high-quality ceramics, or are just curious and want to browse, visiting a Talavera factory in Puebla is a unique cultural experience you can’t find anywhere else in the world.
Bonus Mexico Travel Resources:
14 Best Places In Mexico To Travel Alone
6 Best Beaches In Holbox, Mexico (Stunning!)
23 Best Things To Do In Holbox Island, Mexico (+ Sample Itinerary!)
15 Best Beach Clubs In Holbox Island, Mexico
3, 4 & 7 Day Cancun Itinerary (The Best Things To Do In Cancun!)
14 Travel Tips For Puerto Vallarta For A Fun & Safe Trip (In-Depth Guide!)
Solo Travel In Puerto Vallarta: The Ultimate Guide
Tulum Solo Travel Guide: How To Have An Amazing Trip On Your Own
12 Things You Didn’t Know About Puebla, Mexico
Solo Travel In Mexico City: The Ultimate Guide
This post was made possible by a trip sponsored by the Mexico Tourism Board
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Jessie,
SO great to meet you during the #WeVisitMexico trip, and thanks for highlighting Talavera Santa Catarina. Looking forward to seeing you in a very near future. Hanging out with you and the rest of the Puebla Tweetup ranks up high as one of the most memorable press trips I have had.
Great meeting you too! I think our group needs to plan another Mexico trip ASAP 🙂
Jessie- nice piece! I’m hoping for some quiet writing time on the plate to Paris on Wed to get some posts done. So great to meet you and I look forward to following along your “journey” wherever it takes you!
Great meeting you, as well! Can’t wait to read your upcoming posts!
Hi Jess! Nice post. Some clarifications: To receive DO4 status, talavera pottery from Puebla must meet specific government requirements in terms of its contents (mixture of clay, all-natural paints, etc.) and production techniques. The official “zone” for making this talavera encompasses the cities of Atlixco, Cholula, Puebla, and Tecali in the state of Puebla. Ceramics are still made in Talavera de la Reina, Spain, from where many immigrants to Puebla came, but obviously the tradition and craftsmanship that developed and evolved here in Mexico is distinctly different. Happy travels, Rebecca
See http://www.impi.gob.mx/wb/IMPI/declaracion_general_proteccion_denominacion_talave
Hey Rebecca, Thanks for the clarification. It was great meeting you!
Puebla, Cholula, and the Talavera ceramic factories are all hidden gems. This means the experience is a hidden gem to the third power.
It was great meeting you in Puebla! The manufacturing process of theTalavera pottery was fascinating. Now when I look at the pieces I brought home, I enjoy them both for the work it took to create them and for how pretty they are.
I’m ready for Puebla 2.0 🙂
Erika
Already started using my mug! It was great meeting you Jessie. Safe travels and see you down the road.
Great meeting you all and I hope our travel paths cross again in the near future! 🙂