Old customs building

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The former customs building, located in Cayenne, Guyana, is a building built in two phases: the first half of the 18th century and the second half of the 19th century. Its structure combines wood pan, bricks on the ground floor and wooden boards on the first floor, with a masonry base to compensate for the slope of the ground. The walls, initially cracked, are now painted. The façade has four curved doors with white frame, while the floor opens onto a balcony via persienated doors. The roof, once covered with shingles, is now corrugated.

Acquired in 1825 by the Ministry of Marine and Colonies, this house on Rue du Port became the Customs Department. In the 20th century, it housed a painting shop on the ground floor and a dance school upstairs. Ranked a historic monument in 1992, it measures 16.50 m x 14 m and includes a courtyard with an old kitchen. Today, the building is abandoned, but its architecture reflects Cayenne's colonial history.

The protected elements include the entire building (cadastre AD 108 to 110), with its original features such as rumped windows and persisted doors. The location, although specified (rue du Vieux-Port), is considered to be of poor accuracy (level 5/10).

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