Old Customs House Square

You've reached the beautiful Place de l'Ancienne Douane, the Old Customs House Square. Here, you'll find one of the city's most famous fountains! It bears the statue of a 16th-century soldier, Lazare de Schwendi, who fought in Hungary against the Turks. Legend has it that he brought back with him vines of one of Alsace's most famous wines, the tokay grape variety. Thanks to Schwendi, the vines flourished in the region and ultimately led to the widespread acclaim of Alsatian wines today. That's why the statue shows him holding a grapevine. Research has shown that this story is almost certainly untrue, yet this German warlord's legacy lives on in Colmar to this day. In any case, his bronze statue was sculpted by Auguste Bartholdi in 1898. The fountain was completely destroyed by the Germans during World War II. It was rebuilt, and the original sculpture was then added to the new basin. It overlooks one of the city's most historic buildings. It's the former Customs House of Colmar, known as Koïfhus, just across the bridge to your left. This structure, with its distinctive green and yellow roof, is Colmar's oldest public building. Built in 1480, it has served as a warehouse, a tax office and a meeting place for Alsatian deputies and the Magistrate. The edifice was remodeled and expanded several times. It then took on new functions with the construction of several new buildings. The large rectangular building on the left housed the customs office, while the central one was a slaughterhouse. The one on the right was the birthplace of General Rapp, a Revolutionary war veteran who gave his name to one of Colmar's central squares. From town hall to theater to Chamber of Commerce and Industry, this impressive edifice has been of great importance to the city throughout the years. Located on the Old Customs House Square, the Koïfhus is listed as a Historical Monument, offering a glimpse into the Colmar's medieval past.