![The store recalls the grandeur of a Florentine palazzo.](/content/dam/images/g/u/j/m/1/7/image.related.afrWideArticleLead.940x529.gujic5.png/1488516805608.jpg)
The world's oldest pharmacy sits on a quiet street in Florence just around the corner from its namesake, the beautiful Santa Maria Novella church. But unlike the ornately patterned green and white facade of the basilica, the unassuming facade of the apothecary offers no hint of the sensory riches within.
Walking inside one is overwhelmed by the intoxicating fragrance of flowers, herbs and essential oils and a visual overload of exquisite religious frescos on the high, arched ceilings. Ornate chandeliers, stained glass windows, sumptuous drapes and intricate tessellated tile floors add to an ambience that recalls the grandeur of a Florentine palazzo.
Balms, potions, unguents and other fragrant wares line the shelves of walnut cabinetry, and soaps, potpourri and scented wax tablets are offered with gentle pride by elegant saleswomen dressed discreetly in black.
Dominican monks began concocting herbal remedies here in the 13th century, and today the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Mari Novella still sells their ancient elixirs and liqueurs made from herbs and spices, as well as skincare products, perfumes and other scented goodies drawn from the monks' original recipe ledgers.
![Acqua di Rose was originally created as an antiseptic to clean houses after an outbreak of the plague.](/content/dam/images/g/u/j/m/2/k/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1487821399755.jpg)
"When you visit us you feel a strong sense of our history, but you also feel the history of the city of Florence itself," says Gianluca Foa, chief commercial director of Santa Maria Novella.
That history began when Dominican friars arrived in Florence at the beginning of the 13th century and converted the church of Santa Maria Novella (then known as Santa Maria delle Vigne) into a monastery. In 1221 the monks established a pharmacy using medicinal herbs grown in the monastic gardens to make medications, balms and pomades for the monks' infirmary, then later for lay people.
"The city walls attracted a lot of outcasts and the monastic order took care of them," says Foa. "They tried to create ointments for people affected by the Black Plague and other illnesses of the dark era, because there were so many people dying that they really had to find some kind of solution."
Early creations
By 1381, the Dominicans were operating an infirmary, and among the first distillates dispensed was rose water – derived from rose petals and prescribed as an antiseptic to clean houses after an outbreak of plague.
![Religious frescos adorn the apothecary's high, arched ceilings.](/content/dam/images/g/u/j/m/1/f/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1487821477097.jpg)
"It was once considered that the Acqua di Rose could defeat the plague, but today it is sold as a tonic for the faces of ladies," says Foa.
Other early creations reflected the social sensibilities of the times. The evocatively named Vinegar of the Seven Thieves was a remedy for women suffering from fainting fits, while Santa Maria Novella water was sold as a concoction to calm female hysteria caused by overzealous corset lacing.
Both are still on the shelves today – the latter a best-selling item used to prevent motion sickness and aid in digestion.
The sweet smell of success truly wafted through in the early 16th century when Catherine de Medici commissioned the pharmacy to make a fragrance to commemorate her marriage to the future King of France. The result was Acqua della Regina, or Water of the Queen, a bergamot and citrus-scented perfume so beloved by the Queen of France that she gave it out as gifts to friends during her travels.
![An iris scented candle by Santa Maria Novella, which has stores in France, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, the United States, ...](/content/dam/images/g/u/j/m/2/4/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1487896003433.jpg)
"Thanks to Catherine de Medici, the fame of the pharmacy really spread throughout France and Europe," says Foa.
Although the pharmacy's renown was growing, it wasn't until a century later in 1612 that Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria opened its doors to the public.
Ancient procedures
Today the pharmacy still uses only natural raw materials of the highest quality, mostly grown on the hills around Florence, and continues to follow the ancient procedures of the founding fathers, albeit with an eye on innovation.
"When you visit there is a sense of the history of our values, but of course we can't compete with all the luxury brands today like Lancôme and Estée Lauder unless we invest in research and development," says Foa. "We don't spend a single cent on advertising so we have to rely on the excellence of our products as well as our history and our values."
Production recently moved from the historical premises to another facility three kilometres away and there are now stores in France, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, the United States and Britain. In Australia, its biggest growth market, Santa Maria Novella is sold by stockists in Brisbane, Byron Bay, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney.
"Australia is our No.1 target because of the interest we saw from Australians travelling to Italy and also because while the population is not very large the income of a family is quite high," says Foa. "I also believe Australians are interested in lifestyle brands right now, so it's a great time for us to be in your country."
Foa spent a year living in Australia, in Port Douglas in 1999, where he found similarities between the Kuku Yalanji Indigenous people and the ancient Dominican monks.
"I enjoyed going with them to unique places in the forest where I was exceptionally accepted; they took me to holy places where usually the white men are not allowed," says Foa.
During his sojourn in tropical Queensland with his naturalist photographer wife he ate bush foods – "I still remember the delicious honeypot ants which taste like candies" – played the didgeridoo and watched tribal dances with the Kuku Yalanji.
"I admired the respect they have for nature and the way they recognised and treated the plants for medical uses. At Santa Maria Novella we are also respectful of the integrity of nature but the Aboriginal people have 600,000 years of history so maybe they know a little more about that than us."
NEED TO KNOW
For Australian stockists, see buy.smnovella.com.au
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