Guided Tour to the Ceramics of Manises

The 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries brought European fame to Manises ceramics, making it Spain’s largest ceramic production center.

Great personalities from across Europe, such as princes and kings, demanded this coveted craftsmanship. Especially popular were ceramics with golden metallic reflections and decoration in blue tones, referred to as «Valencia product» or «Mallorca» — later termed «majolica» — referring to the origin of the merchants exporting them.

This unique history serves as the backdrop for the visit, an experience that compares traditional ceramics with the most avant-garde and shows the great future that lies ahead.

The group will visit two factories and experience two activities, concluding with an appetizer.

The first visit will be to the traditional ceramic museum, aimed at preserving the knowledge of traditional Valencian ceramic culture, as well as the culture and history of Manises.

It is located in the old Obradors neighborhood of Manises, dating back to the 14th century. During the visit, participants will learn about the manual process, piece by piece, which still preserves the essence of yesteryear.

Next, we will travel to the future of Manises ceramics, to an artisan workshop dedicated to researching new ceramic techniques and different modern designs for its pieces.
Here, the owner looks to the future, exploring new paths and trends in ceramics. He pushes traditional ceramics to its limits, allowing him to create authentic works of art.

In fact, he has worked for clients such as the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava or some Michelin-starred chefs like Quique Dacosta, designing tableware for their restaurants. His work has been recognized on numerous occasions.

The guided tour doesn’t end here; next, the group will enjoy a ceramics workshop, where they will experience two activities:

• Rakú experience, a millenary technique of Japanese origin, in which the pieces are placed in a preheated oven. The ceramic pieces are removed from the oven when the glazes reach maturity. Generally, they are left to cool in the air or water, or, in some cases, they are placed in sawdust or other dry vegetable materials to produce smoke (reduction) for variable periods of time.
• Clay molding is an experience in which each participant lets their imagination run wild, allowing creativity to flow to create their own work of art. It is a fantastic way to experience the real sensation of traditional clay molding, as it was done in its origin.

Each participant will be able to take home the Rakú piece they molded previously in clay as a souvenir. Meanwhile, an appetizer will be served while molding to conclude this immersive visit.