Eau de Cologne: Farina House and 4711

On Gingerguide's self-guided Cologne audio tour, Eau de Cologne: Farina House and 4711 is a stop worth about ~45 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.

Eau de Cologne: Farina House and 4711, Cologne
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

About Eau de Cologne: Farina House and 4711

The city that gave its name to a fragrance: Eau de Cologne was created here by Johann Maria Farina in 1709, and the rival 4711 is named after its Glockengasse house number.

When you wear "cologne," you are wearing the name of this city. In 1709 an Italian-born perfumer, Johann Maria Farina, settled in Cologne and created a light, fresh fragrance of citrus and herbs unlike the heavy perfumes of the age. He named it Eau de Cologne, "water of Cologne", in honour of his adopted home, and it became a sensation at the courts of Europe. His firm, Farina gegenüber dem Jülichs-Platz, founded in 1709, is the oldest fragrance factory in the world still in operation, and its house is now the small Fragrance Museum. The other great Cologne name, 4711, was created by Wilhelm Mülhens and is named after the number of his house on Glockengasse, a number assigned during the Napoleonic occupation, when French troops numbered every building in the city. Both fragrances are still made in Cologne today.

Did you know? Eau de Cologne was created in 1709 by Johann Maria Farina, who named the fresh citrus scent after his adopted city; his firm is the oldest fragrance factory in the world still operating.

How much time do you need at Eau de Cologne: Farina House and 4711?

Around ~45 min works well for Eau de Cologne: Farina House and 4711 — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.

Should you stop at Eau de Cologne: Farina House and 4711?

Yes — Eau de Cologne: Farina House and 4711 made the cut as one of 8 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Cologne. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.

Nearby stops in Cologne

Hear the story of Eau de Cologne: Farina House and 4711

Preview the Cologne tour free in the Gingerguide app.