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Origin and history

The Koifhus, or Ancienne Douane, is an emblematic building of Colmar, built in 1480 in the historic district of the Grand-Rue. This public building, the oldest in the city, was initially used as a place of taxation and warehouse for traders. Its ground floor housed customs activities, while the floor hosted meetings of the deputies of the Décapole, an alliance of ten imperial Alsatian cities active between 1354 and 1679. The upper room, decorated with the coat of arms of the member cities, reflects its central political role in the region.

The Koifhus has been gradually transformed over the centuries, with major changes in the 16th and 18th centuries. The southern building, built in 1480, was the administrative seat of Colmar, housing even the town hall on several occasions (between 1480-1538, 1698-1866, or 1725-1810 according to the sources). The central body, acquired in 1482, served as a slaughterhouse until 1840, while the northern building, dating from the 16th century, was dedicated to the trade of tallow and candles. A commemorative column of 1543, celebrating Charles Quint's victory, was added in front of the monumental staircase.

The architecture of Koifhus combines medieval and Renaissance styles, with facades decorated with coats of arms, stone balustrades and chanting gables. The northern building, where General Jean Rapp was born in 1771, is distinguished by its pilasters and human masks. Ranked as a Historic Monument in 1930 (inside) and 1974 (fronts and roofs), it now bears witness to the flourishing commercial and political past of Colmar, then a free imperial city.

La Décapole, the federation of the ten Alsatian cities, played a key role in local governance until it joined France in 1679. The Koifhus, the meeting place of its deputies, symbolizes this period of relative autonomy, marked by intense economic exchanges and structured urban administration. The coat of arms of the member cities, still visible in the upstairs room, recall this unique alliance in Alsace.

In the 18th century, Koifhus gradually lost its customs and administrative functions, but retained a major heritage value. Restorations, such as that of the north facade in 1896, preserved its historic character. Today, the building serves as an exhibition venue, offering a journey through time through its varied architecture and uses, reflecting the evolution of Colmar from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

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