Santa Maria dell’Orto (site of memory)  | Roma, Italy

Arciconfranternita Santa Maria dell’Orto

Located in the heart of Rome's Trastevere district, just a few steps from the Benedictine Monastery of Santa Cecilia, Santa Maria dell'Orto is a key site in the history of pharmacy and a significant stop along the Percorso dello Speziale. From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, this area, connected to the port of Ripa, played a vital role in the distribution of medicinal substances, as well as in the development of hospitals, apothecaries, and medicinal gardens. The church once housed an important apothecary, renowned for its unique and still surviving feature: a giant whale rib. In the past, Roman apothecaries were often identified by fantastical symbols—such as unicorn horns or dragons—serving as imaginative emblems of their trade. The whale rib at Santa Maria dell'Orto is the only surviving example of these traditional markers, making the site a rare and valuable testament to the rich intersection of medicine, mythology, and cultural heritage.