Officina di Santa Maria Novella, building in Florence, Italy
Officina di Santa Maria Novella is an old pharmacy in Florence located next to the church of the same name on Via della Scala, selling perfumes, soaps, and herbal products since 1612. Inside are several historic rooms, including a former chapel decorated with paintings of the four continents and a museum area displaying old equipment used for making medicines and fragrances.
The Santa Maria Novella monastery was founded in the early 1200s, and monks soon began experimenting with herbs and flowers to create remedies. By the late 1300s, an infirmary had been established where monks produced medicines and scented waters not only for themselves but also for local patients.
The shop's name comes from the neighboring Santa Maria Novella monastery, which has been linked to healing and fragrance production for centuries. This connection to the monastery and its location near the church shape the place's identity and meaning for visitors today.
The shop is located directly beside Santa Maria Novella church in central Florence and is easy to reach on foot when walking through the historic downtown area. It is worth spending time to explore the different historic rooms and museum section, especially if you are curious about traditional production methods.
One of the most famous products is a liqueur called Alchermes, a bright red drink made by monks with sugar, spices, and crushed insects to achieve its distinctive color. This unusual recipe has been preserved over centuries and remains a symbol of the shop's old craft tradition.
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