300 years for Eau de Cologne
By Gian Maria Farina
It was born in 1709 one of the most famous and popular creations of the artistic perfumery, the Eau de Cologne, characterized by soft and delicate intensity, and by fruit and flower scents.
Today almost no one relates this perfume to the German city on the Rein. But it is exactly here that, three hundreds years ago, the fragrance was born, that since then became very popular at the European courts, appreciated by very distinguished people and, for many, synonym of freshness and personal care.
“My perfume is like an Italian dawn at spring after the rain: it recalls oranges, lemons, grapefruits, bergamots, ciders, flowers and the aromatic herbs of my land. It refreshes me and stimulates senses and fantasy”, used to say his creator, the Italian Gian Maria Farina.
The perfumer migrated from Santa Maria Maggiore, in the mountains of Piedmont, to Cologne, where he reached his brother, at the beginning of the XVIII century. His intuition led him to create a revolutionary fragrance, totally different from the existing ones back then, that seduced Goethe and Napoleon.
The city of the Dom dedicated to Gian Maria Farina a statue on the tower of its city hall. The Farina Haus is the most ancient perfumery firm of the world – year of foundation 1709 – and today it hosts a Museum of Perfume, where to live once again the history of fragrance. In the laboratory of the perfumer the guests are introduced to the secrets of the creation of the perfume, from the choice of the ingredients, to the art of distillation and to the technique of the enfleurage. In the cellar of the house where once the Eau de Cologne was produced there is an ancient cider barrel once used to preserve the perfume and today still intact. The visit to the Museum is an excursus in the culture of the perfume and in the life of Gian Maria Farina that, personified by a tour guide/actor, leads to his rooms those who want to know his personal adventure.
4711
With the creation of Gian Maria Farina in Europe the fashion of the Eau de Cologne spread. Very high is the demand and innumerable the copies and reproduction. The perfume 4711 is perhaps the most famous and spread variant. It is said that Wilhelm Muehlens, founder of the house, bought the recipe from a monk. In 1820 it was created the bottle – called Molanus – that facilitates the storage and the usage of the Eau de Cologne, and that is still used today for the product 4711 – True Eau de Cologne. Today the house of Glockengasse hosts a shop/museum, with a fountain made of Eau de Cologne, where there are also guided tours and seminars on the perfume.
Farina Haus
(www.farine.eu)
The Museum of the perfume Farina Haus, in the historical place in Obermansforten 21, in front of the city hall, is open from Monday to Saturday (10am to 6pm) and on Sunday (11am to 4pm). There are audio guides available also in Italian. Who wants to have a guided tour ( even masked on Thursday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday) is recommended to book in advance, by writing at museum@farina-haus.de, or by calling 0049 (0)221-399 89 94.
Glockengasse 4711
(www.glockengasse.de; www.4711.com)
The shop 4711 in Glockengasse is open from Monday to Friday (9am to 7pm) and on Sunday (9am to 6pm). Every Saturday, at 1pm, a group tour is planned. The shop is available also for private tours and for seminars dedicated to the world of the perfume. On the first floor of the shop there are temporary exhibitions, events and musical events. Information at kundenkontakt@galerie-glockengasse.de, or calling at 0049 (0) 221 270999 10
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Tags: Artistic Perfumery, Cologne, Eau de Cologne, Farina Haus, Gian Maria Farina, Glockengasse, Goethe, Molanus, Museum of Perfume, Napoleon, perfume 4711, Piedmont, Santa Maria Maggiore, Wilhelm Muehlens
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