10
The Village Pharmacy
Bottles and Jars of History
The building before you, a bit atypical and intriguing for a Saxon village, once housed a pharmacy established in 1809 by pharmacist Johann Jikeli. I won't keep you from your exploration for long, but it’s important to know that this was the first rural pharmacy in Transylvania and one of only seven in existence at the start of the 19th century. The first pharmacy in the region was founded not far from here, in Sibiu, in 1494.
What did a pharmacy mean at the start of the 19th century?
You might be surprised to learn that they functioned similarly to those today. Pharmacists worked closely with doctors, as preparing a remedy could take anywhere from seven to ten days. Although good collaboration was key, there were often difficult periods as doctors preferred to live in larger nearby settlements like Mediaș. Even so, a medic was constantly present, sometimes supplemented by a military doctor.
The building before you might not be open for visits, but I know you're curious about what the atmosphere was like back then. Imagine stepping back in time with me. Much like today, you’d present your prescription at the counter. Of course, the décor was a bit different—counters and furniture made of sturdy wood, possibly sourced from the forest stretching along the neighboring street. The raw materials for remedies were kept in wooden, glass, or even locally made ceramic containers, each labeled by hand.
Let's take a walk among the shelves filled with vessels and containers that were used by pharmacists in Transylvania between the 16th and 19th centuries. These objects are not just medical tools but true works of art of their time.
Think about the delicate little bottles, in shades of blue or green. Such containers were used to store essential oils and tinctures. Their color was not chosen randomly – it protected the contents from sunlight, preserving the healing properties of the liquids.
Here, we also had albarello — cylindrical faience vessels inspired by Italian tradition. Used for keeping dried herbs and plant powders, these vessels were a staple in Transylvanian pharmacies, often adorned with beautiful painted decorations.
Ceramic and wooden vessels were essential for storing mineral powders and medicinal plants. In Transylvania, wooden vessels were preferred for their durability and the availability of materials.
In the corner of the laboratory, you could spot glass or copper retorts and distillers. These tools were used for preparing essences and tinctures, essential in the process of making medicines. In many old pharmacies, these containers are still preserved as collector's items, offering a glimpse into the refinement and attention to detail of that era.
On the front table, you could find pharmaceutical chests – portable kits full of labelled bottles, which pharmacists and doctors would take with them on travels or in case of emergencies.
All of these containers tell stories about healthcare, medical technique, and the craftsmanship of local artisans from that time.
While the pharmacist wrapped your medicine in paper or dispensed it into small bottles, you were surrounded by the rich scent of herbs, resting for a few moments in the perfectly tempered room. There you go, a little bottle of nostalgia is ready for you! The Saxon remedies were just as intriguing, with treatments for stomach pain, insect stings, depression, calluses, and other herbal concoctions for various problems.
Before you leave, you might want to know why this building stands out. Looking down the street to your right, you can see the alignment rigorously followed by other structures. Do you spot any differences between these and the pharmacy building? Perhaps you noticed the portico and columns breaking the rhythm of the streetfront. Most Saxon houses do indeed have such porticoes, but they usually face inward toward their courtyards. These additions, dating from the mid-19th century, made it ideal for turning a residential house into what we now call a “commercial space.” It’s a Saxon tradition to date their modifications, so we know that further work was done on this building in 1571, again in 1782, and signs suggest more alterations over time, like the Gothic stonework in the cellar. Speaking of inscriptions, there’s also a niche at the attic level on the left side of the façade where you’ll find an inscription famous in these parts: “Gott hilft/ Gott hat geholfen/ Gott wird auch ferner helfen/ in alle Zeit/ 1571 renoviert 1782+2000,” meaning “God helps/ God has helped/ And God will continue to help/ For all time.”
Although it may seem a large building, when it opened, the pharmacy operated in just three rooms: the oficina (the space where visitors were received), the laboratory, and a storage room. By the way, this laboratory housed the largest distillation apparatus in Transylvania, which can now be seen at the Museum of Pharmacy History in Sibiu.
If we repeat the exercise and look along the same street, do you notice any similarities with other houses? Note the access to the cellar directly from the street, which would make supplying a pharmacy efficient. But why would other locals need the same feature? It might be interesting for you to find the answer to that on your own. Keep your curiosity alive, and enjoy the rest of your journey!
The next stop is down Tudor Vladimirescu Street, as we’ve planned to keep you away from today’s traffic.
Text by Florin Alexandru and Alexandra Mihailciuc, documented and written during the Heritage Lab workshop in 2024. Audio guide created by Designers, Thinkers, Makers Association and the Municipality of Biertan, as part of the Culture & Cultures: Connecting the Dots project, co-funded by the National Cultural Fund Administration.
Audio guide produced in 2024 via the Culture&Cultures. Connecting the dots project.
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