Today, Portugal is second behind Italy in world’s largest export of marble in the world. The largest natural reserves of Portuguese marble are located in a globally renowned geological site by the name of Estremoz Anticline.

Usually, countries in the natural stones sector are known by their main natural stone export. When we talk about Portugal, a country renowned for its marbles and granites, the first thing that comes to mind is Rosa Portuguese. The demand for this beautiful pink marble range has become increasingly high in recent times. For many of the lavish designs or large-scale architectural projects, pink marble is at the top of the list.

But what makes this marble stand out from the crowd? Let’s find out.

Rosa Portuguese – The Export Connection
A great many reasons are there for its tremendous popularity. For the uninitiated, it would be surprising to know that Rose Portuguese is one of the most significant export commodities for the country. For many decades, the Portuguese stones have been in tremendous demand, and it has developed a reputation in the natural stone industry. Interestingly though, its commercial value is well acknowledged far and wide, little is known about the stone itself. It is challenging to define Rosa Portuguese due to its vague shade and colour irregularity. Also, no typical sample and photo exist of this particular stone. Every sample of one tile is different from the next one. For instance, if it is used in flooring, selection has to be very careful and precise to achieve the desired results.

Varieties Found in Rosa Portuguese
Interestingly, the world-renowned pink marble is broadly divided into different categories. Many versions of the marble are found from many quarries. Each slab and block is different from the next, and these can be categorized as follows:

• Rosa Aurora Rosa – This marble is very much impressive. Its pink shades and strong veining makes it an ideal fit for domestic and commercial applications.

• Rosa Aurora Crema – It has a pinkish background and pastel-coloured veins.

• Rosa Aurora Classic – This variation consists of a white background with pastel-coloured veins.

• Rosa Aurora Claro – This variety has cinnamon brownish veins and white background. It is a suitable alternative to the Italian white marbles with grey/black veins.

• Rosa Aurora Azul – Commonly referred to as the Estremoz Azul marble, it has clear blue veins and white background with occasional cream and brown hues.

Application of Rosa Portuguese
The pink marble is mostly used in interior design with a modern touch but works well in classical themes, too. Furniture, decorations, kitchen tops, bathrooms and luxury facings are all sorts of applications of this beautiful marble. Honing, sanding and polishing bring out the best in pink marble.

Der Bau begann im frühen 16. Jahrhundert und nahm gut 100 Jahre in Anspruch. Bis zum Jahre 1640 blieb es der Hauptsitz des Hauses Braganza, ehe dieses nach Lissabon zog und den Palast nur noch als Sommerresidenz nutzte.

Im 18. Jahrhundert wurde der Palast erweitert und umgebaut, verfiel aber nach dem Ende der Monarchie zusehends, ehe er nach dem 2. Weltkrieg über die Jahre restauriert und der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich gemacht wurde.

Naturstein darf natürlich hier nicht fehlen: Die Fassade wurde mit Marmor aus der Region (die für Marmor berühmt ist) errichtet, ein Umstand, der erneut die Langlebigkeit und zeitlose Eleganz und Ästhetik dieses Steins unter Beweis stellt.

These marbles are translucent with a granular texture, and their colour can vary a lot from pure white to creamy, orange, and pink. The often delicate background colours are interrupted by streaks and dots of wavy, slightly oriented veining that give vivacity and movement to the entire stone.

Rosa Aurora is quarried as small to medium blocks, with a few thousand tons of annual production. Its intricacy makes it a real marble of luxury; however, its intrinsic qualities also limit its use: It is typically recommended solely for interior use in areas of low traffic and less exposure to permanent use.

Frequent applications thus include, among others, bathroom flooring and fixtures, tops, wall claddings and facings. It can also be used for sculptures and inlay works.

At Kallisthos, we offer a wide variety of Portuguese marbles, and naturally, all variations of Rosa Aurora are available as well.