Officina Profumo - Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
About Officina Profumo - Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
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What people say
Pedro Pereira
Available for hire
"The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is a perfumery and herbalist shop in Florence, in Tuscany in central Italy. It is not a pharmacy and does not sell medicines, but is sometimes described as "the oldest pharmacy in the world".
Its origins can be traced back to the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria Novella and the mediaeval medicines created by the monks. A retail operation was established in Via Reginaldo Giuliani in 1612 by Fra Angiolo Marchissi, becoming famous over the coming centuries for the quality and salubrious benefits of its products, ranging from perfumes, pot pourri and toiletries, to liqueurs, medicinal balms, and foods. It remained in the ownership of the Church of Santa Maria Novella until 1866, when the property was confiscated by the Kingdom of Italy and sold to a private owner. Since the 1990s Santa Maria Novella's retail operations have expanded rapidly to include locations in every major Italian city, and 75 shops throughout the world, in countries including the United States, Panama, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and South Africa."
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Marisa Wigley
Available for hire
"Touristy but visiting their main location is an absolute must (via della Scala 16). The oldest pharmacy in Florence and their flagship location is like a museum in its own right. They are know for their fragrances and āAcqua Della Reginaā being their famous one apparently made for Catherine di Medici, hence the name Queens Water. Personally, it wasnāt my favorite scent so I went with a different one, but they have really unique fragrances and use them to create soaps, candles, etc. in addition to perfume so its a great place to get some gifts as well. Tip: when you are cashing out you can ask for samples of other fragrances. They donāt advertise it but Iāll thank the German couple behind me in line that were talking about it and clearly did their research. It worked - so if you want to take some mini extras home, just ask!"
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Jennifer Magana
"Founded by Dominican monks in the 13th century, this is the oldest pharmacy in the world. The interior shows Renaissance architectural details like vaulted ceilings, mosaic floors and shelves lined with glass apothecary jars.
Shop perfumes, herbal remedies, and skincare products in vintage-style packaging."
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