Santa Maria Novella

OFFICINA PROFUMO-FARMACEUTICA DI SANTA MARIA NOVELLA

The first stage of the existence of the “Officina” can be traced back to 1221 when the Dominican friars, arriving in Florence, built their monastery just outside the city gate. Shortly afterwards they began to study and experiment the properties of officinal herbs grown in their gardens next to the monastery. The preparations obtained in this way ( medicaments, balms and ointments) were at first intended for the monastery’s small infirmary, used to keep the friars and other members of the community in good health.