The building of the former Chief pharmacy, Federal cultural heritage pharmacy in Saint Petersburg, Russia
The building of the former Chief pharmacy is a classical structure with symmetrical proportions, elegant columns, and a carefully designed facade on Millionnaya Street. The interior follows the conventions of pharmaceutical facilities from that period, with functional spaces for medicine preparation and dispensing.
The renowned architect Giacomo Quarenghi designed this pharmacy in the late 1700s when Saint Petersburg was becoming a European capital. The building witnessed the modernization of medical practice in Russia during the age of Enlightenment.
The pharmacy building shows how apothecaries in imperial Russia were designed as respected institutions that conveyed expertise and prosperity through their architecture. You can see from the careful details that such medical establishments mattered to the city's educated classes.
The building sits in central Saint Petersburg near the Winter Palace, giving visitors multiple public transportation options for reaching it. Its location makes it easy to combine a visit with other nearby landmarks.
The building served not just as a pharmacy but also as a center for producing medicines using modern methods of the 1700s. This made it one of the most advanced medical facilities of its time in Russia.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
