Human development and evolution are closely linked to man's ability to research. Over the last few centuries, results in medicine, pharmacy and biotechnology have contributed enormously to achieving the ultimate goal - to reduce pain and suffering as much as possible. This is how, nowadays, we have the possibility to improve and even eliminate unpleasant states, when there is a disturbing factor. Many stages in the entire evolution process can be admired through a simple visit to the Cluj Napoca Pharmacy Museum.
History and presentation
In 1573, the first public pharmacy appeared in Cluj, in the building that today is recognized as Casa Hintz. In some cases, it is also called the Mauksch-Hintz House, with an interesting history behind it. In addition to the impressive architecture, the house hosts the Cluj Napoca Pharmacy Museum, a tourist attraction that Lonely Planet appreciated as superb, satisfying and always surprising.
As early as 1752, the fortification began to be rented to private pharmacists. Tobias Mauksch thus becomes the first tenant, the name being later integrated into the official name of the house. Later, starting with the 1850s, both the house and the pharmacy came into the possession of the Hintz family. Until 1949, it had the utility of a pharmacy and was called Farmacia Sf. Gheorghe.
Regarding the Pharmacy Museum in Cluj Napoca, it includes over 3000 exhibits from the history of pharmacy. The one who started the whole process was Julius Orient, at the end of the 19th century. Inside the building you can admire the specific furniture, along with various models of old scales and earthenware. Moreover, the building perfectly reflects the way the former pharmacies were structured, including the storage rooms and the laboratory. While the entrance hall is assigned to temporary exhibitions, the last room contains a comprehensive collection of medical equipment that hospitals in Cluj used in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Professor Julius Orient integrated here the collection of Transylvanian pharmaceutical objects. Along with many other valuable donations, they have the role of illustrating the history and pharmaceutical activity in Transylvania.
Among the biggest curiosities of tourists are the visualization of the ingredients that pharmacists used in the past, as well as the famous Mummy Powder. According to studies, it contributes to prolonging life and has the role of curing all diseases.
Location
The Cluj Napoca Pharmacy Museum can be found at Unirii Square no. 28, right on the corner with King Ferdinand.
Visiting and contact schedule
The Cluj Napoca Pharmacy Museum can be visited according to the following schedule:
• Monday - between 10:00 - 16:00;
• Tuesday - between 10:00 - 16:00;
• Wednesday - between 10:00 and 16:00;
• Thursday - between 12:00 and 18:00;
• Friday - between 10:00 and 16:00;
• Saturday - only on the last Saturday of each month, between 10:00 and 16:00. In this case, the next Monday will not work.
In the case of groups, the Cluj Napoca Pharmacy Museum can also be visited with the help of a guide. Please note, however, that you need to contact the Museum in advance for an appointment.
Phone:
• 0264 597 567
• 0752 108 724
E-mail: istfarmacluj@gmail.com
As consolidation and rehabilitation work is ongoing, it is recommended that you inquire in advance about the reopening date of the Museum and the fees charged.
Map
