I3) Monastic Botanical Gardens: Medicinal Plants, Cultural Heritage, and Tourist Routes

From the dawn of humanity, man have sought remedies for various illnesses and health issues in the natural environment. Herbal medicine has been at the forefront of humanity's therapeutic pursuits since the beginning of time. The natural environment, of which humans are a part, constitutes the first laboratory for the production of medicines. Medicinal botany can be traced back to ancient Greece, continues in ancient Rome, is closely linked to Islamic tradition, and persists through the rise of Christianity in monasteries, enduring to the present day. Today, the use of herbs in monasteries remains alive and well preserved. Monastic botanical gardens serve as living proof of the relationship between humans, nature, healing, and spirituality. These gardens, which for centuries cultivated plants for medicinal, nutritional, and functional uses, can now be leveraged to promote tourism, cultural heritage, and environmental awareness. In this context, the Council of Europe certified in 2021 the European Route of “Historic Pharmacies and Healing Gardens,” which traces the development of botany and pharmaceutical medicine in Europe through sites that have played a pivotal role in the history of medical knowledge. The route aims to highlight historic pharmacies and botanical-pharmaceutical gardens, which are emblematic spaces of Europe's pharmaceutical tradition since the Middle Ages. This study examines how monasteries and monastic botanical gardens can be incorporated into a broader framework of experiential and thematic tourism, appealing to visitors seeking authentic experiences that combine nature, tradition, and spiritual seeking.