Farmácia Morão

The Shop

This is another Historic Shop in a neighbourhood rich in history that is neither Chiado nor Baixa – Graça. A neighbourhood in which local shopping and the corner grocery store still rule, and knowing the customer’s name at the local café/bakery is nothing out of the ordinary. All this is nothing out of the ordinary for those who live and work in Graça. And it is in this neighbourly context that the Farmácia Morão has had a privileged view over the other hundreds of historic shops, for it looks down on Lisbon from above, from the top of the hill. Founded in 1896 by the pharmacist José Augusto Morão, the shop has remained in the family since then. The current owner and manager is the founder’s great-granddaughter.

When visiting, or waiting to be served, note the octagonal column clad in wood with a capital profusely decorated with stucco arabesque work, which was conserved when the shop underwent renovation work in 1992. The original layout and the shop furniture from the 19th century were also maintained. Today it is a modern pharmacy, where the ceramic pharmaceutical containers on display embody the connection between the historical and the new. It offers all the typical services of a pharmacy – customers can weigh themselves, find out their BMI (Body Mass Index), measure their blood pressure, glycaemia, etc. In addition to this, it is also an important part of the social fabric of Graça, a neighbourhood with a life of its own that is very important, in particular to the more elderly residents.