The building of the Customs Office

The place on the bank of the Oder, where we can find the building of the Customs Office, has been associated with the collection of customs duties for centuries. At the beginning of the 16th century, in the vicinity of today's Castle Route, there was a Kłodny Bridge, on which there was a customs barrier, which was lifted only after the passing ships had paid the appropriate customs and tax fee.

After Szczecin was dragged into the territory of Prussia, King Frederick William I decided to build a building where all tax matters could be dealt with and which would control the units flowing through the Odra River. The site where the Customs Office building stands today was chosen as the construction site. The construction of the facility began in 1724 - due to the marshy ground, the building was erected on special piles. The facility was named "Pakownia".

Due to heavy traffic and queues, it was decided to expand the packing station. Exactly in 1900, the design of the main building of the Customs Office was created - by Wilhelm Meyer-Schwartau, an architect who also designed Wały Chrobrego and the PUM building. The building was built in the years 1904-1907.

The decorations on the building are extremely interesting, and the two faces placed on both sides of the facade, at the entrances, deserve special attention. On the one hand, the face is smiling - according to many, it is a symbol of a client who still has money because he has not yet paid any dues. On the other hand, the face is sad - it is the same character, but here the client is after paying the fee.

The interior also deserves our attention - in the staircase we find a rib vault and lion heads above the entrance. They are supposed to symbolize the strength of the office and evoke respect and humility in clients. Furniture has also been preserved in the building - incl. safe, wardrobe and armchairs.

After the war, when the building was taken over by Poles, the building was intended for the purposes for which it was built. The first foreign customs clearance from this office was carried out in June 1946.

The facility located right on the bank of the Oder was entered on the provincial list of monuments in December 1988.