The Toll Post in Töll/Tel: testimony to the lively trade on the Via Claudia Augusta from Roman times to the Middle Ages

Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD) moved the border between the two Roman provinces of Raetia (with its capital Augusta Vindelicorium, Augsburg), and Venetia et Histria to the Töll (Teloneion = customs house) and laid the foundation stone for the toll station and the toll for goods and vehicles.
The Latin inscription on the base of the statue of Diana proves that a certain Aetetus, head of the customs office at Töll/Tel in the 3rd century, had the Temple of Diana built. He also introduced the “Gallic goods customs” (= foreign and export customs for goods to Germania, which replaced the Illyrian, the internal customs).
Along this important traffic route, the Via Claudia Augusta, inns and road stations for changing horses were built.
After the departure of the Romans towards the end of the 5th century AD, there are no records of the existence of a toll station for centuries.

In 1160, a customs officer is reported for the first time again and the sovereign customs are mentioned for the first time in 1271 and as the property of the Count of Tyrol (Meinard II). In 1388, the customs post was moved from Plars (Algund/Lagundo) to the Töll/Tel (to today’s “Rössl” inn, since its renovation a few years ago again called “Zollwirt” – transl. inn at the toll station) and developed into the most important in Tyrol.

Toll guards had to keep an accurate register, which was sent to the Count’s Chamber on a quarterly basis and the customs officers handling the Tyrol Count’s tax revenues enjoyed the status of court officials. In 1808, the building housing the tax office was sold off by the Bavarian authorities and, after the introduction of a new consumption tax in 1829, the toll post was completely abandoned. From 1400 until its closure, the names of 27 customs officers were recorded as having worked there. The toll station (the Zollhof) included the Zollbaur Inn with the actual customs office situated on the left side of the building and a repository on the right. Just behind was the Steidlhof Guesthouse made famous for once hosting Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria and King of Hungary and Bohemia, (1503-1564). Ferdinand’s coronation as Emperor in 1525 is remembered in one of the Renaissance frescoes preserved in the customs office. Dating no later than 1530, this opus has been marvelously restored.

The former customs or toll post is no longer in existence.