Town Hall Pharmacy
The Raeapteek (Town Hall Pharmacy) is known to be the oldest pharmacy in Europe still operating in the same premises. The pharmacy was first mentioned in the Town Hall notebook in 1422. During the years 1582-1911 the pharmacy belonged to the ten generations of the Burchart family. It was so famous in its day that the Russian tsar used to order medicines from here.
The Raeapteek is also considered to be the oldest still operating company in Tallinn and oldest health care institution in Estonia.
In medieval Tallinn, The Raeapteek was also the meeting place of the town lords and other important people. Here people drank claret and made agreements. Today pharmacy still sells famous claret and marzipan, once considered to be the cure for heartache, but also has all the modern medications. Small museum room offers an interesting display of 17th-20th century medicinal bric-a-brac. Raeapteek also offers guided tours and workshops. Information and prices for group visits can be found on the website.
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TripAdvisor® Traveler Reviews
tripadvisor rating 4.5 of 5
based on 619 reviews
Earthworms in oil, anyone?
tripadvisor rating 4 of 5Ahhhh yes, here we go. A race for the oldest in anything is bound to create controversy and stir up passions in tourists who use visits to these place as badges of honor. It’s safe to say that... Read more comments
Rude staff ruined my day
tripadvisor rating 2 of 5I went there with high hopes but extremely rude clerk ruined my visit. How was she so unpleasant? We were only visiting the museum and behaved just like civilized people.
The pharmacy in Tallin is one of the oldest, but not THE oldest.
tripadvisor rating 5 of 5You should be more specific in your statement. The pharmacy in Tallinn is ONE of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, but the oldest in Europe and around the world is in Franciscan Monastery in... Read more comments
