2009 was an important year for Cologne as Farina, the home of Eau de Cologne, celebrated its 300th year anniversary. Founded by Giovanni Farina (1685-1766), the family business has occupied the same building since its inception. The building currently houses a shop and a small museum with an assortment of historic bottles and information on the process of making a perfume.
Perhaps most interesting is the sheer volume of non-legitimate replicas the museum houses, illustrating just how renowned the original brand has been throughout history. What is particularly striking is the smell of the original perfume which I had not sampled until my visit. It struck me that there are several designer scents that have been available in recent years which have attempted to recreate the original Eau de Cologne. Yet, none of them quite match it.
Giovanni successfully made Cologne the hub of perfume in the 18th Century and to this day it remains famous for this reason. Make Farina part of your tour and experience a rich history of perfume, design and commerce.
Farina Gegenüber – Farina Haus 50667 Cologne
Tel 00 49 (0) 221 2941 709
info@farina1709.com
