Handicraft

There is no need to say that the main craft in Faenza is ceramics.

With products like plates, jugs, vases, mugs, tureens and albarelli (hand-painted majolica jars used by apothecaries and chemists since the Middle Ages), you have a wide choice of fine souvenirs that add a touch of elegance to any home. In and around Faenza there are over 60 potter’s workshops which were called orzelari in the 12th century, and later boccalari, vasari and finally vasai.

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Only certified skilled ceramists are allowed to mark certain products with one of the two official seals of quality (Ceramica artistica e tradizionale and Ceramica italiana di qualità), which guarantee that the ceramics are made following the traditional shapes, patterns, techniques and styles of this area.

Even today, the masters of ceramics do not trust sales assistants, preferring to sell their production personally at their shops. Some of them even go the trouble of explaining how they make their products, or give pottery lessons.

And of course, the merit of passing on the great tradition of Faenza ceramics is to be credited chiefly to the local schools and education centres like the Istituto d’Arte. Faenza, however, has other outstanding handicrafts apart from ceramics and majolica-ware, one example being hand-wrought iron objects.