Glass crafts

Almería was an important place for glass crafts, with the quality of Almeria glass being outstanding in the 13th century because of its green and blue hues. The town of Maríain the Los Vélez region, was one of the main glasswork centres in the 18th century. In the 19th century, the business began to decline throughout the province.

Unlike other provinces, Cordoba never had a glassmaking tradition, a situation that has changed recently with the appearance of several stained glass workshops.

Glass-blowing workshops in the province of Granada gained widespread recognition in past times, and particularly the municipality formerly known as Castril de los Vidrios, one of the main centres for Spanish glassworkers. Today this industry has disappeared, being replaced by stained glass.

The province of Jaén did not have a significant number of either blown or carved glass workshops, despite its relative proximity to the major centre which was Castril (Granada), although recently glass workshops have appeared in various towns in the province.

In Malaga, there has been a significant increase in workshops that work in engraved glass, stained glass and decorated glass.

The fine collection of 16th-century stained glass in Seville cathedral, together with Burgos, León and Palma de Mallorca cathedrals, is seen as one of the best examples of Spanish Gothic stained glass. This gives an idea of the importance of this craft in the province which, with some high and low points, has continued to the present.