Europe's oldest pharmacy in Rome now explorable in 3D

The Spezieria di Santa Maria della Scala in Rome, Europe's oldest pharmacy, has been digitally reconstructed in 3D by an international research team. Founded in the second half of the 17th century by the Discalced Carmelite friars in Trastevere, the pharmacy originally served only the order before opening to the public. The friars continued their pharmaceutical research until 1954, when the pharmacy moved to the ground floor, while the ancient Spezieria became a museum accessible by appointment. Now, a 3D reconstruction makes it available to a wider audience. The project, Roma Hispana, was coordinated by Maria Luisa Vazquez de Ágredos of the University of Valencia and funded by the Generalitat Valenciana and Aboca. Researchers from ENEA, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, the Hercules Laboratory of the University of Évora, and design schools in Valencia used laser scanning, photogrammetry, and chemical analysis to create the model and study the artifacts. The pharmacy, also known as the "Farmacia dei Papi," holds recipes, instruments, and substances like theriac and a special water invented by Fra' Basilio in the 18th century. The team analyzed about 100 samples from the "poison cabinet" to verify contents and assess alterations over time. The 3D model will also help determine conservation status and plan restoration interventions.