Llívia

The Museo de la Farmacia Estéve, housed within the Municipal Museum of Llívia, preserves one of Europe's most historically significant pharmacies, established in 1415 and operated by the Esteve family for 23 generations until its closure in 1942. This remarkable institution showcases an exceptional collection of pharmaceutical artifacts spanning the 15th through 19th centuries, including Renaissance wooden boxes painted with portraits of saints and learned apothecaries, laboratory instruments, medicinal preparations, and distinctive blue cobalt ceramic pharmacy jars (albarels). The museum features a polychrome 18th-century "cordialer" (medicine cabinet), ancient recipe books, formulas, a world map showing the origins of pharmaceutical products, and laboratory instruments, all preserved within the original pharmacy setting. The collection demonstrates the evolution of pharmaceutical practices, including an innovative labeling system introduced by José Esteve in 1759 that replaced Gothic lettering with French-influenced medallion designs. Located in the unique Spanish enclave of Llívia, completely surrounded by French territory, this museum offers visitors an extraordinary glimpse into centuries of European pharmaceutical history and the dedication of a single family to the healing arts.