Botica “La Italiana today” Portales de Canobbio
In 1864, a single-story building with a row of porticos was constructed. A conflict forced the municipality to remove part of the porticos because they obstructed the street's alignment. At that time, Mazatlán was invaded by the French, which is why the demolition was not continued. Initially, it was known as the Portal de la Lonja, where there were hardware and shoemaking shops. Doña Tomasa Osuna was its builder and owner. After her passing, the property was inherited by a niece who married an Italian man with the last name Canobbio. In 1880, it was said that Don Luis Canobbio had a potion called "La Diosa Venus," which, according to Canobbio, was the fountain of eternal youth. In 1899, he established his pharmacy "La Italiana."
It was originally built by Don Benito Machado, a prosperous merchant who had a large store in that location.
The Portales de Canobbio Building, in addition to being one of the architectural gems of old Mazatlán, has a rich variety of Mazatlan anecdotes and historical events. One of the most well-known incidents involved a group of Japanese sailors. When Don Benito Machado was the owner, this place served as a refuge for a group of Japanese mariners who had shipwrecked in the year 1842. They eventually returned to the Land of the Rising Sun, where, instead of being welcomed with joy, they were tortured and imprisoned for violating the law that prohibited Japanese nationals from having contact and intimacy with foreigners.
The building was the location of numerous businesses and the Bank of London and Mexico (1897). In recent times, it was completely restored to preserve its original structure. A museum with furniture from the 19th and early 20th centuries was installed at the top, reminiscing about the lifestyle of affluent families from that era.
Did you know?
This building was known in the past as the house that housed the 'Fountain of Eternal Youth' because Don Luis Canobbio, of Italian origin, established his pharmacy 'La Italiana' here in 1899, where he invented and sold the potion 'Goddess Venus,' which was claimed to bestow eternal beauty on those who consumed it
📍 Location
Constitución Streert No.79, Downtown, 82000 Mazatlán, Sinaloa.
