Alte Ratsapotheke, Renaissance pharmacy in Lüneburg, Germany
Alte Ratsapotheke is a Renaissance-era building in Lüneburg with a distinctive nine-part stepped gable and multiple window arcades running along its brick facade. The walls are covered in dark reddish-brown plaster, giving the structure its striking appearance.
The city council of Lüneburg acquired an existing pharmacy in 1475 and later moved it to Große Bäckerstraße, opening it officially in 1524. This relocation established it as a key civic institution serving the town's medical needs.
The building displays figures and animals related to herbs and remedies on its entrance, showing how people understood health and healing in Renaissance times. These carved details tell visitors about the local tradition of caring for the sick.
The building is located on Große Bäckerstraße and remains easily walkable from the town center. Since it still operates as a pharmacy, visitors can admire the Renaissance architecture from outside or explore the neighboring historic streets.
Beneath the roof sits a historic herb chamber with two rooms that still retains its original layout from centuries ago. The painted decorations on the walls reveal handcraft techniques from earlier times and remain remarkably well preserved.
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