Talavera pottery in Puebla: where to see it, buy it and spot the real thing

Walk through Puebla and you will see Talavera everywhere: on church domes and house fronts, in kitchens and fountains, and in every gift shop. This glazed, hand-painted pottery has been made in Puebla since the 16th century, and it is the city’s most famous craft.

A short history

Spanish settlers brought the craft from Spain, where it was associated with the town of Talavera de la Reina. In Puebla, it mixed with local skills and influences from Chinese porcelain, which arrived in Mexico on the galleons from Asia. Puebla’s potters formed a guild in the 17th century, and their work decorated churches and mansions across New Spain. In 2019, UNESCO added the craft of Talavera in Puebla, Tlaxcala and Spain to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Where to see it

• House fronts: the Casa de los Muñecos on the zócalo and the Casa del Alfeñique, a mansion decorated like sugar icing, are two of the finest.
• Church domes: look up to see tiled domes across the city, such as the Rosary Chapel’s.
• The convent kitchen of Santa Rosa: a kitchen covered in Talavera tiles, where mole is said to have been invented.
• San Francisco Acatepec: a village church near Cholula with a facade covered in tiles.

Visit a workshop

Several historic workshops in the centre offer tours where you can watch each step: the clay is mixed, shaped on a wheel or in a mould, fired, dipped in a white glaze, painted by hand and fired again. Some workshops let you paint your own tile. Weekday visits are best, when the potters are at work.

How to spot certified Talavera

Only pieces made in certain towns in Puebla and Tlaxcala, by certified workshops using traditional methods, can be sold as Talavera under Mexico’s designation of origin. To be sure you are buying the real thing:

• Look for the workshop’s signature and the certification mark on the base.
• Real Talavera has a slightly raised, glossy glaze, and the colours sit on top of the white base.
• Traditional colours are blue, yellow, black, green, orange and mauve, made from natural pigments.
• Expect to pay more for certified pieces. Cheap “Talavera-style” pottery in markets is usually machine-made or painted with modern glazes.

Where to buy

Buy certified pieces in the shops of the historic workshops. For cheaper decorative pieces and tiles, browse El Parián market and the shops along Calle 6 Norte. Many shops will wrap pieces for travel, and some ship abroad.

Tips

• Ask whether tableware is lead-free if you plan to eat from it. Certified workshops use lead-free glazes.
• Pack pieces in your hand luggage, wrapped in clothes.
• Learn more on our one-day Puebla itinerary, which passes several Talavera shops.