Santa Maria Novella

A journey that began in 1221

The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella can trace its history back to 1221.

1221 is the year the Santa Maria Novella convent was founded, when Dominican friars came to Florence to start work on the site, and planted a vegetable garden.

These are the earliest roots of the convent’s apothecarian heritage.