Franciscan Monastery & the World’s Oldest Pharmacy

Near Pile Gate lies Franciscan Monastery, oasis of calm. Cloisters surround courtyard shaded with citrus trees, their arches carved delicately, silence profound. In its library, manuscripts glow with illumination, wisdom preserved through centuries. Its pharmacy, established in 1317, is among world’s oldest still in operation. Shelves hold ceramic jars once filled with herbs and balms, recipes blending science and tradition. Remedies of lavender, rosemary, and honey echo medieval medicine, continuity unbroken. The monastery embodies resilience. Fires, sieges, earthquakes scarred city, yet here manuscripts and remedies survived. Today, visitors marvel at both architecture and living history — place where prayer, healing, and knowledge intertwined. Franciscan Monastery is not relic but continuity — a reminder that even in turbulence, care for body and spirit endures.