The first documented references to the existence of a ceramic factory in the Terreiro da Erva, close to Santa Justa square, date back to 1824. As in several other potteries in Coimbra, it adopted from the outset a craft mode of production. In the second half of the century, and despite ruthless competition, the factory managed to continue in production, and eventually became the last representative of Coimbra’s traditional factories. At the turn of the millennium, the factory of the Society Old Pottery of Coimbra stands as the last thread of the old manufacturing fabric of the city, preserving ancestral knowledge and skills – nowadays revitalized and driven by the resolve to bring new life into the sector. A decisive effort is being made to reinvigorate the factory’s brand with the creation of new top-quality products inline with modern design concepts, in particular with the field of architecture. It also represents an investment in the fields of Industrial Heritage and Cultural Tourism.
