Q. Why it is called Italian tile?

The usage of Italian tile dates back to the Middle Ages when ceramic tile first gained popularity as a decorative material for floors and walls in public and religious structures. The majority of the hand-decorated majolica tiles were originally a regional handicraft. The local craftspeople then took inspiration from various medieval ornamental tiles as well as the six cornered terracotta tiles that were popular during the late Roman Empire. By that time Christian Europe had also been exposed to Islamic or Moresque tile designs. Italian majolica artisans created new styles that were modified from these types to match the shifting trends and styles in interior design for both private and public structures. The church of S. Petronio which is in Bologna has one of the earliest tile floors created by a well-known artisan in 1487. Pietro Andrea da Faenza created it and his use of the medium immediately gained notoriety. After that the use of tiles spread quickly throughout Italy's palaces homes and places of worship. In Sicily at the time of the Baroque era artistic ceramic was first employed in Southern Italy.