Tolhuisje, Historic toll house on Graslei, Ghent, Belgium
The Tolhuisje is a protected monument positioned along Graslei waterfront and once served as the port's toll collection point. The structure features a traditional gable roof and bright blue accents on its facade, and operates today as a small café.
Constructed in 1682, the building collected tolls from merchants trading through Ghent's port until 1734. After ceasing its toll collection function, the structure lost its original economic role but survived into the modern era.
The building illustrates how Ghent managed its port operations and collected trade duties from merchants. Its small footprint reflects the tight spacing of structures along this busy commercial waterfront.
The building sits centrally along Graslei and is easily accessible on foot, positioned beside other notable medieval structures along the waterfront. Visitors can experience the interior of this protected monument today through the small café operating inside, allowing views of the original spatial layout.
The side walls of this structure are actually the exterior walls of the adjacent Korenstapelhuis and Tweede Korenmetershuis buildings. This architectural arrangement explains why the Tolhuisje gained the status of Ghent's smallest house, squeezed between its neighbors.
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