Burel Factory arose from the need of saving an ancestral heritage. To keep it alive and extend its history that comes from far away. To promote the Serra da Estrela region, its people, its culture. To spread Portuguese art responsibly. And to present an authentic product in a conscious way, respecting nature and the mountain with its origin and knowledge.

The manufacture of faience in Coimbra dates back to the 17th century. With the refurbishment of the University of Coimbra, begun in 1773 by the Marquis of Pombal, a vast set of production units emerges that will give rise to a potter's neighborhood in the center of the city. This factory is the last testimony of this more extensive set of extinct units and is located in urban and consolidated territory in the downtown of Coimbra.

I am used to saying that while being an architectural photographer who always visits and shoots beautifully designed spaces, it’s becoming harder and harder to impress me with architecture. But this one was an exception. So this story started with a conversation with my good old buddy Guilherme about the history of Knights Templars in Portugal. Yeah, sometimes we have those intellectual conversations with my friend. So he recalled reading about a castle in Tomar, which is known for having served as bastion of Templar Knights in Portugal. We did some googling and decided, quite spontaneously, to go visit the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ) the next day.