Reial Acadèmia de Farmàcia de Catalunya

The purpose of the Reial Acadèmia de Farmàcia de Catalunya is to study and foster research into the pharmaceutical sciences. The institution was founded in 1944 and its headquarters have been based at the Hospital de Santa Creu de Barcelona since 1955. Did you know that it houses Europe's oldest pharmacy?

During the guided tour you'll see that the dispensary still has its original furnishings and apothecary jars. Highlights include the picture window with views of the courtyard which has a Renaissance-style grille dating from 1696. It has an opening at its base designed to pass the medication through. To the left of the window is a cupboard where the physicians would leave their prescriptions to be made up in the pharmacy. If you look closely, you'll see it is engraved with the names of eminent Catalan doctors, including Barraquer, Pi i Sunyer and Joan Rull.

The pharmacy also has shelves dating from the 19th century. Inside you'll find a collection of 162 apothecary jars from different periods, forty-four 18th-century wooden boxes with lavish decorations, which were used to store herbal medicines.

If you like science trails, this is one of the places you must visit in Barcelona.