Old Customs House

Strasbourg, located at the strategic crossroads of the waterways formed by the Rhine, the Ill, and the Bruche, established itself as a key European trading hub as early as the 12th century. This position required the development of suitable port infrastructure to facilitate the transit of goods. In 1358, the city decided to build a large warehouse, complemented by a resale counter where products were subject to taxation. Over the centuries, up to the 18th century, the building was gradually expanded and enhanced with new facilities. Near the Saint-Nicolas bridge, to the west of the building, a landing stage was created in 1393, equipped with two monumental cranes that disappeared in 1865. Damaged during the bombings of 1944, the warehouse was rebuilt in the early 1960s. This restoration removed later modifications and restored the building to its original medieval appearance.