4711
Cologne water from Glockengasse, named after an old Cologne house number, entitled to call itself the "Original Eau de Cologne."
since 1799
4711 is a perfume brand whose fragrant water traces back to a formula sold in Cologne since 1799. The brand name comes from the house number of its original premises on Glockengasse.
At a Glance
- Type
- Perfume brand (Cologne water), now managed as an umbrella brand
- Brand owner
- Mäurer & Wirtz GmbH & Co. KG
- Location
- Original house on Glockengasse in Cologne
- Trademark protection
- since at least 1875
- Designation
- entitled to bear the name "Original Eau de Cologne"
- Visiting
- weekly guided tours, hourly carillon
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
Name and Origins
Wilhelm Mülhens had been established on Glockengasse since 1797 and began selling "Kölnisch Wasser" (Cologne water) in 1799. According to legend, he received the recipe for an "aqua mirabilis" as a wedding gift from a Carthusian monk in 1792. During the French occupation, the house was assigned the conscription number "4711," which became a trademark in the 1830s.
From Remedy to Fragrance
Initially, the "aqua mirabilis" was sold as a medicine meant to be taken internally. A decree issued by Napoleon in 1810 required the disclosure of such remedies' formulas. To avoid this, Mülhens began declaring his Cologne water suitable for external use only — thereby marketing it, for the first time, as a fragrance in the modern sense. Today's manufacturers regard it not merely as a scent but as an "aroma therapeutic," whose essential oils are meant to be inhaled to take effect.
Water from the Orphanage
The fragrant water was produced at the Düsseltal rescue home for orphans, whose upkeep was partly funded through its sales; production took place on the Düssel river in Düsseldorf. The bottles from Düsseltal bore rosebuds and the motto "For God and the orphans."
Bottle and Label
The angular Molanus bottle from the 1820s made storage, transport, and labeling easier; Mülhens added a bulge to allow the alcoholic contents to expand in warm conditions. 4711 is still sold in this form today. The label established under Peter Joseph Mülhens features Cologne Cathedral and Bonn Minster along with a Gothic ribbon reading "Dieu et mon droit." Through these depictions of churches and the inscription, Mülhens deliberately associated his Cologne water with holy water. Blue and gold became the house colors.
The "Farina" Name Dispute
The company initially traded under the name "Farina," which for a time was synonymous with Cologne water itself. To retain the right to use the name, Mülhens repeatedly took on business partners named Farina. After decades of legal disputes, a ruling by the Cologne Higher Regional Court on 27 April 1881 finally barred Ferdinand Mülhens from using the name "Farina."
The Original House Today
The present-day building on Glockengasse is not the original house, but it now serves as a tourist destination with an exhibition room.
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
Address
Glockengasse 4
50667 Köln
Hours
Mo: 09:30–18:30
Di: 09:30–18:30
Mi: 09:30–18:30
Do: 09:30–18:30
Fr: 09:30–18:30
Sa: 09:30–18:00
Contact
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official website (retrieved 2026-07-17)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-30)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-30, rev 266808514)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-30
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