Even 500 years ago, it was mostly women who took care of the sick. Every wife had a home medicine cabinet with recipes for tried-and-true remedies, which were passed down from mothers to daughters—just like kitchen utensils.
Image gallery
Katharina von Brandenburg
Trained physicians left the practical aspects of treating the sick to surgeons and barbers. Like the executioner, these professionals had superior knowledge of anatomy for a long time.
Childbirth and postpartum care were exclusively women’s affairs until the 18th century. In the 16th century, many noblewomen studied herbalism and the preparation of medicines. This activity was also highly regarded in society. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Electress Catherine of Brandenburg (d. 1602) established a pharmacy housed in the Berlin Palace that provided medicines free of charge to the poor.
The tour takes you through the palace gardens and selected areas of the exhibition inside the palace. In the garden, individual medicinal herbs are presented on site.
At the end of the tour, visitors can sample selected herbs in the Old Kitchen and create their own herbal tea.
IN GERMAN
Additional information
Dates
July 2026
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