Herb Museum
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Also known as “In herbis salus”, the Cosio d’Arroscia Herb Museum can be found in the western Riviera (“Riviera di Ponente”), where the Mediterranean environment meets the Alps – there you can find two-thirds of the European flora between heights of 656 ft and 6560 ft.
The local community of the Alta Valle Arroscia has set up this museum on two floors of the former Cosio d’Arroscia town hall, dedicating it to agronomist Giovanni Alessandri. He was born here and specialized himself as a medicinal herb scholar, in the footsteps of many famous scientists.
He also had the great idea of setting up experimental production of this type of herbs to be used for cosmetic products, mostly favouring lavender (Lavandula officinalis), typical on Maritime Alps, and Damask roses (Rosa x damascena) for perfumes.
Here in the past, some local entrepreneurs used to distil Artemisia absintium, Lavandula officinalis and Rosa x damascene species, selling their essence to wholesalers or perfume and talc producers.
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Italiano (Italian)
