Established in the 16th century to serve the friars of a neighbouring convent and made accessible to the general public by the end of the subsequent century, the Apothecary di Santa Maria della Scala stands as the oldest pharmacy in Rome and Europe, an exquisite gem within the Trastevere district. Operated by the Discalced Carmelites, this pharmacy was where medicines were cultivated, prepared, and sold until 1954, marking the year of its closure.
Its strategic location and proximity to St. Peter’s made it an esteemed establishment frequented by cardinals, princes, and even popes, earning it the moniker “pharmacy of the popes.” In the 18th century, Fra Basilio transformed the pharmacy into a hub for botanical studies, where the properties of plants were studied, herbariums were compiled, and medicines were cataloged.
Stepping inside, you are immersed in a realm filled with vintage mortars, stills, vases, majolica, and antique instruments for weighing medicines. The hall still proudly showcases its 18th-century wooden cabinets and furniture, while the ceiling is adorned with a fresco bearing the Carmelites’ coat of arms at its heart. Notable visits are commemorated on cabinet doors, such as the one by Vittorio Emanuele I on October 27, 1802. Among the many preserved “medicaments,” you’ll find theriac, a remedy employed since ancient Roman times as an antidote to poisons, composed of 57 distinct ingredients, including viper meat.
