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  • Wall-mounted clock in the Antique "del Cervo" Pharmacy, Arezzo.zoom in altra finestra
  • Exterior decoration on the Antique "del Cervo" Pharmacy.zoom in altra finestra

Ex Farmacia del Cervo [Former "del Cervo" Pharmacy]

The pharmacy was founded around 1830, as can be seen from the inscription on the white marble facing outside, which reads:

FARMACIA DEL CERVO
L. & O. CECCHERELLI e FIGLI
ANNO 1830

Its most interesting features are the shop window with its brass display case and the sundial on the facade, turned toward the piazza, dating from 1886. The sundial, in marble, has a solar calendar with indication of the midday line, and bears the inscription:

La coincidenza
del tempo medio

col tempo vero

annualmente avviene

fra il 24 e 25
Decemb .
fra il 14 e 15 Aprile

fra il 14 e 15 Giugno

e fra il 31
Agos e il 1° Set.

[Mean time coincides with real time each year between December 24 and 25, between April 14 and 15 and between August 31 and September 1]

The furniture in the sales area and the adjacent room, in the past a perfumery and "salon", is original. It consists of two sales counters and cream-colored wooden shelves with gilded frames in neoclassical style. Another striking element is the big clock on the wall (dating from 1830), of curved shape, with a black background decorated with inlaid mother-of-pearl and a gilded frame.

Of the antique pharmaceutical utensils, only a few objects remain: some jars in Empire style from the Ginori manufactory, three large retorts, twenty reagents (substances used in chemical reactions), and a large mortar decorated with a laurel wreath.

Recently restored, the rooms and their furnishings have been adapted to the needs of the new management, which has converted the premises for use in other commercial activities.

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Texts by Elena Fani

English translation by Catherine Frost

Last update 07/gen/2008