Our Story
Founded in 1437 in the vibrant heart of Venice, the Scuola Grande di San Marco intertwined its destiny with that of the Spezieria di San Marco, becoming the guardian of an ancient and precious art: the art of the apothecary.
Here, in centuries past, Venetian apothecaries were workshop-boutiques where botanists and alchemists transformed herbs, essences and natural materials into remedies, elixirs and refined preparations.
Under the watchful gaze of the Lion of Saint Mark, the eternal symbol of Venice, Spezieria di San Marco brings the precious charm of a golden age back to life.
Timeline
1437
School settlementGreatnext to the Basilica and the Dominican Monastery.
1650
Expenses for medicines began to become high, and theApothecary began to produce medicinesindependently for internal and external use.
1806
The monastery was converted into a hospital, initially military and later civilian.From this time, the Apothecary was converted into a pharmacy.
TODAY
The former monastery is now the Ss. Giovanni e Paolo public hospital in Venice and houses the former pharmacy and Scuola Grande di San Marco.
Ancient Apothecaries
Apothecaries were workshops where, in ancient times, naturally based medicines were prepared and sold.
These places today could be compared to modern pharmacies.
Aqua Mirabilis
The ‘Aqua mirabilis’ was created in 1600 by John Paul Feminis. It was from the formula of the ‘Aqua Mirabilis’ that the original Eau de Cologne Farina was formulated.
Emblematic Logo
St. Mark’s lion is a winged lion that symbolically represents the evangelist St. Mark, patron saint of the city of Venice.It is also known as theMarcian Lion.