4711 (pronounced "forty-seven eleven" or "siebenundvierzig elf") is the Eau de Cologne brand of Mäurer & Wirtz and is produced in Stolberg near Aachen, Germany. At the beginning of the 18th century, Italian expatriate Johann Maria Farina (1685-1766) created a new fragrance and named it Eau de Cologne ("water from Cologne"), after his new residence, Cologne. In the course of the 18th century, the fragrance became increasingly popular. Mülhens opened a small factory at Cologne's Klöckergasse (name changed in the 19th century to Glockengasse) and began manufacturing his own version of the fragrance. In later years, his grandson Ferdinand Mülhens chose a new name for the firm and their product. He chose the number 4711, a number that the city of Cologne had assigned to Wilhelm Mülhens' future residence on the eve of the French Revolution.

Cologne is one of the beautiful cities in Germany where you can find an extensive range of museums galleries and shopping centers. If you are an avid shopper, you must not miss a visit to the Neumarkt Galerie on your trip to this city.

This is the largest shopping center in Cologne and the beautiful building features a stunning ten meter artwork that depicts the dropped cone or the upside down ice cream cone. This artwork is the crown of the building and was created by Van Brugge and Oldenburg, two American artists.

Enter the shopping center and you will immediately notice its friendly and pleasant environment. The granite floor is indirectly lit by the light in the ceiling. A striking effect is produced by the dark colored wooden hand rails and the stainless steel and glass structure. There are a total of three floors housing 65 shops in this complex.

At the center of Nenmarkt Galerie, you can find the forum. Located under a huge glass copula, this forum has a round lighting unit. Shops at the ground and upper level sell a variety of unique and interesting jewelry, fashion clothing and shoes from popular brands. Visitors find respite from shopping as they relax at the bistros, restaurants and cafes. Visit this vibrant and lively market and enjoy shopping to your heart’s content.

A trip to Cologne is incomplete without a visit to the famous Schildergasse shopping boulevard. The origin of Schildergasse can be traced back to the Roman times. Back in the Middle Ages, artists who painted coats of arms used this street which today is a commercial hub. This energetic and vibrant shopping area is visited by thousands of tourists through the day. People visiting Cologne definitely include a trip to Schildergasse in their itinerary.
According to a simultaneous nationwide counting done last year by Jones Lang LaSalle on the number of visitors to major shopping hubs in Germany, this mall was ranked first with 13,280 visitors per hour.  
Hohe Straße is another popular shopping mall situated close to Schildergasse. At Schildergasse, you can find reputed chain stores and brands apart from individual retailers. Some of the popular landmarks on Schildergasse include the Renzo Piano designed Peek and Cloppenburg’s Weltstadthaus and the ancient Protestant Church of St. Antoniter.
Some of the popular tourist areas of interest close to Schildergasse include the Schnutgen Museum, Kathe Kollwitz Museum, Church of St. Cacilien Bascilica and Rautenstrauch Joest Museum.
On your trip to Cologne, walk through this exciting shopping street. You will find so many interesting things here making it hard for you to hold on to your wallet.

Cologne is a city packed with exciting shopping areas catering to a variety of shoppers from across the world. One of the big shopping streets in this city is Hohe Strasse. Since the year 1963, this pedestrianized street has been closed to traffic.
Right from the time of the Romans when Cologne was a large village, Hohe Strasse served as a stop for people on their way to Xanten from Rome. This street can therefore be considered to be a historical path.
Hohe Strasse is a shopping experience not to be missed on your trip to Cologne. Here you can find a variety of different establishments including souvenir shops, high street stores, emporiums and boutiques selling home ware, jewelry, shoes, clothes and much more.
This open air shopping mall extends for about a kilometer offering many exciting bargains for avid shoppers. After you enjoy purchasing what you want in Hohe Strasse, you can continue your shopping spree on the Neumarkt and Schildergasse. Here you will find many more home ware, toy shops and fashion stores offering interesting items.
On your trip to Cologne, set aside one full day to browse around shops at Hohe Strasse that offer a unique shopping experience.

A very popular shopping destination of Cologne is the Chocolate Shop. Part of the Chocolate museum, an impressive building of brick and glass, the shop can be accessed directly in bypass of the Museum, although it is highly recommended that the Museum be checked out first. The variety and forms of chocolate sold here are truly impressive and include Truffles, Biscuits and bars, to mention but a few.