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Bauhistorisches Fenster 16

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Historic Window 16

The northern wall of the customs house from the years around 1340 (d) formed a stepped gable with three steps on each side. The north face, overlooking the Rhine, originally showed a light beige colour with etchings on the gable, which made a pictorial form. In the eastern area, a red cross, slightly eastern facing, was painted on, in a coat of arms cartouche. This refers to the Archbishop of Trier as the constructor and customs official.

The age of the roofing construction with its trussed ceiling was able to be dated by taking dendrochronological samples. The sample from the horizontal strut shows that the fir tree it was made from was felled in the summer of 1694.

Both the lower eastern steps as well as parts of the upper ones are reflected in the three gable steps. The edge of the wall of the middle, western step can be seen in Room 12 of the attic floor, the passageway to the office.

Remnants of the plaster from around 1340 remain on the former exterior surface of the gable. The lower gable step shows the so-called roughcast, which was left with no additional lime wash.

One gable step higher is the smooth, fine-grained plaster layer with the painted coat of arms. To the side of the coat of arms the mediaeval situation is disturbed as a chimney draught was built in, in recent times, and roughly plastered.

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