Many people wonder: Is 4711 Original Eau de Cologne safe to drink? We look back at the origins of this miracle water and its use in medicine.

For more than two centuries, a "miracle water" known as "Aqua Mirabilis" has delighted people. What began as a medicinal cure soon became a bestseller in salons and society. But how did this come about? In search of an answer, we invite you on a journey back in time to Cologne at the end of the 18th century.

It wasn't until Napoleon decreed in 1810 that all medicinal recipes had to be disclosed that this changed. Unwilling to reveal his top-secret and extremely successful recipe under any circumstances, the shrewd merchant Mülhens simply declared his Cologne Miracle Water a fragrance with health-promoting effects for external use. At the same time, the previously used medicinal bottle was replaced with the well-known and innovative Molanus bottle. Since then, it has stood for the high recognition value of 4711.

4711: Tradition to this day

And the recipe hasn't changed much either; it still contains the same seven natural ingredients that enhance well-being and have delighted generations of wearers for more than 200 years. This is why 4711 Genuine Eau de Cologne is loved by fans all over the world: as a traditional yet modern fragrance, regardless of age or gender. But even though the importance of internal use of Genuine Eau de Cologne has faded into the background since Napoleon, the miracle water is still occasionally consumed today: some Cologne hotels serve the "Blue and Gold Cocktail" refined with a splash of 4711. 4711 Original Eau de Cologne is therefore still drinkable. For guests of the city of Cologne, it's worth keeping an eye out for this special experience.

To this day, Original Eau de Cologne products offer a relaxing and invigorating effect for body, mind, and soul. The best place to experience the brand's full diversity is the 4711 fragrance house on Cologne's Glockengasse. It attracts over 100,000 visitors from all over the world every year and invites visitors to get to know the traditional brand's world of fragrances and experience the wonderful world of Eaux de Cologne. In addition to the classic 4711 Original Eau de Cologne, guests can discover new fragrance worlds here: from 4711 Remix to the diverse creations of ACQUA COLONIA and ACQUA COLONIA INTENSE.

Home of an icon

And while the 4711 fragrance house is now located at number 4, the brand remains true to its tradition: The typical fresh scent in the house and the design clearly indicate that this is a genuine Eau de Cologne product. Like the traditional Molanus bottles of the 4711 Original, the iconic color Bremer Blue also predominates in the fragrance house. Guests refresh themselves at the popular fountain, from which, of course, original 4711 Genuine Eau de Cologne bubbles, and admire the handmade tapestry hanging behind it: It provides a clue to the meaning of the mysterious number 4711. And those who want to delve even deeper into the history of 4711 can experience the entire history of the traditional brand on one of the guided tours. Guests who want to get hands-on can try their hand at perfumery and create their own, individual fragrance arrangement in the in-house fragrance seminars. Gourmets will also get their money's worth: a four-course menu brings the fragrance world of 4711 to life.