Esteve Pharmacy, Medieval pharmacy museum in Llívia, Spain.
The Esteve Pharmacy is a museum housed in a historic building in Llívia that contains an extensive collection of objects from different periods. The rooms feature Renaissance wooden boxes decorated with portraits of saints and doctors, wooden baroque cabinets, and numerous vessels that once held healing remedies.
The pharmacy was established in 1415 and remained an active business for centuries, operated by the Esteve family across many generations. The building and its collection document the evolution of pharmacy from the late Middle Ages through the 20th century.
The pharmacy displays cobalt blue ceramic jars called albarelos, which apothecaries used to store valuable ingredients and healing substances. These vessels were typical of Renaissance pharmacies and show how medicines were organized during that era.
The museum has different opening hours on different days of the week, so it is wise to check the exact times before your visit. The visit allows you to see the historic pharmacy rooms in their original state and understand how medicines were once prepared and stored.
A baroque cabinet from the 18th century was handcrafted by Josep Sunyer and contains specialized small vessels for semi-finished medicinal products. This piece demonstrates the craftsmanship and attention to detail that went into building functional furniture for pharmacies.
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