John Maria Farina, opposite Jülich's Square, is the oldest perfume factory in the world, having been founded in 1709 by Johann Baptist Farina, who was later joined by his brother Johann Maria Farina In 1714. Interestingly, the company wasn’t a fragrance company at first; rather it dealt in luxury items, rare raw materials and fabrics. Less than a decade after the company’s establishment, they ran into financial difficulty, and spent the decades after coming up with new strategies and avenues of revenue, none of which were particularly successful. Eventually, the 1760s saw the company lean more heavily into perfume, which had been a niche offering beforehand. It was a wise move, elevating the Farina company to new lucrative heights as their products’ popularity caught on!