The Koïfhus, or Ancienne Douane, is the old customs house of Colmar, where goods entering and leaving the town were stored and taxed. Its main building dates from 1480, making it the oldest public building in town, and the hall upstairs hosted meetings of the Decapolis, the league of ten free imperial cities of Alsace.
The Koïfhus at a glance
- Where: on the Grand-Rue at Place de l'Ancienne Douane, between St Martin's Church and the Fishmongers' quarter.
- Built: the main customs building in 1480, altered in the 16th and 18th centuries; the two neighbouring buildings joined it in 1482 and 1594.
- What it is today: a listed historic monument used for exhibitions, fairs and events.
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes outside, more if an exhibition is on.
Customs, councils and candles
The name comes from the Alsatian Koifhus, meaning "merchants' hall" or warehouse. On the ground floor, merchants unloaded goods and paid duties on everything that came into or left the town. The large room upstairs was used in turn by the court, the town council and the deputies of the Decapolis, the alliance of ten Alsatian imperial cities that existed from 1354 to 1679. For long periods the building also served as Colmar's town hall.
The Koïfhus is really a group of three buildings around a courtyard. The town bought the middle one, known as zum Grisen after a family that ran a bathhouse there, in 1482 and used it as a slaughterhouse until 1840. The northern house, the Ankenhaus, was bought in 1594 for the trade in tallow and candles; General Jean Rapp, one of Napoleon's generals, was born there in 1771. The interior was listed as a historic monument in 1930, the façades and roofs in 1974.
What to look for
- The steep roof of coloured glazed tiles, topped by a small openwork bell turret.
- The main doorways, with a shield bearing the double-headed eagle of the Holy Roman Empire above an arch framed by the town's arms.
- The mullioned windows of the upper hall, whose stained glass includes the coats of arms of the Decapolis cities.
- In the courtyard: a column of 1543 celebrating Emperor Charles V's victory over the Duke of Cleves, which first stood on the Butchers' Bridge, and a wooden loggia on stone Tuscan columns.
- On the northern building, the high gables and the window pilasters carved with human faces.
The fountain and the Tokay legend
On the square in front stands the Schwendi Fountain, with a bronze statue by Auguste Bartholdi from 1898. It shows Lazarus von Schwendi, a 16th-century imperial general, holding a vine stock. According to legend, Schwendi brought the Tokay grape back from Hungary to Alsace, which is why he holds the vine; historians doubt the story, but it is still told in Colmar's wine bars.
Tips for your visit
- Look at the roof from the south side of the square, where you see the full sweep of the tiles.
- Step into the courtyard to see the column and the loggia, which many visitors miss.
- Come in the evening, when the square is quieter and the building is lit.
Nearby
- St Martin's Church: Colmar's largest church, a few minutes' walk north.
- Maison Pfister: a merchant's house of 1537 with a wooden gallery and painted façade, close by.
- Fishmongers' quarter: the canal-side Quai de la Poissonnerie, just south of the square.
- Saint-Matthieu Church: a former Franciscan church on the Grand-Rue, a short walk away.
See Colmar with World City Trail
Our Colmar scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 33 minutes of walking. The Ancienne Douane is one of the stops, and the route also takes in St Martin's Church and the Fishmongers' quarter. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Colmar.
Play the Colmar scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Colmar →
Play the outdoor escape game in Colmar →
Facts checked in October 2026.