Neues Zollhaus

This building shows that borders and customs duties have long been part of the everyday life of the

Alpine traffic. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Confederation established

here a new customs house. The officers inspected goods,

fees and monitored border traffic. At the same time, they lived with

their families directly in the building. The customs house was not only to be practically

but also represent the Swiss state. That's why it's

more stately than many other houses in the area. This is further enhanced by the

fact that in Splügen in the economically difficult years

from the end of the 19th century until after the Second World War

was built.

The decorative decorations on the façade are particularly striking. They

were executed using the sgraffito technique. Patterns and

Ornaments exposed by scratching and scratching from a light layer of plaster,

so that the darker plaster becomes visible. The technology comes from

originally from Italy and was active from the 16th to the 18th century, especially in the

Engadin and the adjacent valleys. On this building

however, the sgraffito is rather atypical of the location and not an expression of the

traditional Graubünden architecture: the opulent Renaissance style

Façade design with accentuated building corners, windows and gables will follow

rather the ideas of historicism and the ideas of the

Architects Gottfried Semper. It shows how

international architectural movements in the 19th century also in Graubünden

were reflected. When you're standing in front of the customs house today, it's hardly

it is conceivable how many people, goods and stories stopped here.

For many travelers, an adventurous experience began or ended here.