Raeapteek - Town Hall Pharmacy
The Raeapteek (Town Hall Pharmacy) is Europe's oldest pharmacy that has operated in the same location for almost a century. Although the actual year of establishment is unknown, the pharmacy was already in its third owner by 1422. It has been 600 years since the first reference in the town book, which occurred in 2022. Many respectable persons have served as pharmacists in the Raeapteek's long history. The Burchart family, on the other hand, is the recipient of a rare accolade. The pharmacy was owned by the Burchart family for 10 generations, from 1582 until 1911. Johann was the family's eldest son, and he trained to be a pharmacist, according to family custom. Between 1911 and 1940, the Lehbert and Schneider families owned the Raeapteek. C.R. Lehbert began producing an anti-anemia preparation called "Ferratol" in a laboratory corner in 1907. This is considered the first product of the Estonian pharmaceutical industry.
A 1695 pricing list TAXA of pharmacy items provides insight into what was offered in the Raeapteek throughout the Middle Ages. There are 54 distinct kinds of water, 25 fats, 32 balsams, 62 preserves, 128 oils, 20 tinctures, 49 ointments, and 71 medicinal teas on the pricing list. Charred bees, horse hooves, burnt hedgehogs, earthworm oil, pale dog faces, and human fat were among the oddities. There was also marzipan on the list, which is proven to heal heartache and improve memory. The Raeapteek is Estonia's oldest health institution that is still in operation. There have been times when the pharmacist was both a town doctor and a medical specialist. People flocked to the Raeapteek not only to acquire medicine but also for therapeutic counsel and spiritual aid.
The Raeapteek is Tallinn's oldest firm still functioning in the same location. There were also sales of paper, ink, sealing wax, colors, tobacco, pipes, playing cards, torches, textiles, gunpowder, salt, spices, and sweets. The Raeapteek may be compared to a modern-day café where individuals could sit and have a cup of tea or a drink of claret while listening to the news and passing it on to others. The Raeapteek was where the town lords and other influential individuals met. People sipped claret and made deals here. Perhaps this is the location where Tallinn's life was profoundly affected.
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
