The Ceramics Borough

The historical Ceramics Borough of Grottaglie takes the lower side of the town, close to the Episcopio Castle.

Along its picturesque alleyways, a steady stretch of around 50 ceramics workshops welcome visitors: some of them are entirely carved from the rocks, still using ancient furnaces.

The traditional art of shaping clay dates back to the Middle Ages, and is still alive today passing on across generations. Each artisan’s workshop hosts demonstrations on how to model raw ceramics and, at the same time, the option to buy the hand made piece.

The view from atop the Ceramics Borough is enchanting, as all workshops’ terraces and balconies showcase the best of their production, making for a surprising triumph of colors and contrasts, highlighting the typical symbols of Grottaglie, such as the rooster, the characteristic knights, and the multicolored demoiselles called “pupe”.