Farina Fragrance Museum
Duftmuseum im Farina-Haus
The birthplace of “eau de Cologne” and home to the world’s oldest surviving perfume factory. Learn about the “water of Cologne” on a guided tour with scent tasting.
In 1709, Italian perfumer Johann Maria Farina founded a perfume factory in Cologne and created a fresh scent called “Eau de Cologne” (Cologne water), which gave the name “eau de Cologne” to the world. The Farina factory is also the oldest perfume factory still in existence. The museum is in the Farina House opposite City Hall and requires a guided tour (English tours available; about 45 minutes; about €8–10), covering the history of perfume, distillation techniques and scent testing. The ground-floor shop sells original eau de Cologne, which you can compare with the nearby 4711 shop.
Opening hours
Mon–Sat 10:00–19:00, Sun 11:00–17:00 (tours by reservation)
Nearby sights
- Wallraf-Richartz Museum
- Cologne City Hall
- Früh am Dom
- Christmas Market at Cologne Cathedral
- St. Maria im Kapitol
- Kolumba
- Cologne Cathedral
- Museum Ludwig