Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova, Hospital and museum in Florence, Italy
The Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova is a working hospital and museum in Florence that combines active medical services with historical collections. Visitors can see preserved medical equipment, instruments, and archaeological pieces that show how medical practice developed over time.
The building was founded in 1288 and ranks among the oldest functioning hospitals in Europe. Over centuries it grew into an important institution and kept its role in medical and city history.
The hospital honors its medical heritage through preserved instruments and collections that show visitors how doctors worked in the past. The displayed objects tell the story of how healing practices evolved over centuries.
The site is open to visitors, and the layout of the complex makes it easy to navigate between active areas and museum collections. Plan enough time to explore both parts of the site, and check opening hours in advance.
From 1500 to 1800 the hospital ran its own medicinal plant garden that supplied the pharmacy with healing herbs. Specialized gardeners tended this medical plantation, which was an important part of patient care.
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