Located at the corner of rue Mercière and place de la Cathédrale, the belly-measuring column, or “Büchmesser” in Alsatian, was built in 1567 and restored in 2016.
This pink sandstone column is a Strasbourg icon and the vestige of a tradition dating back to the 14th century.
The bourgeois members of the City Council would use it to gauge their portliness every year for the Schwoertag, which was the day they would swear their allegiance to the Constitution. After being sworn in, they would visit the various guilds in town and attend a feast. Afterwards, if they were unable to slip sideways through the space between the column and the wall of the building, it was time for them to go on a diet.
Try it yourself, by slipping wetween the belly-measuring column and the wall. The space is 35 centimeters wide!
Strafari 
16 replies on “Unusual Strasbourg: the Büchmesser”
That’s a good way to see if you have eaten too much and you don’t want to try the scales.
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It’s a good way to see if you’ve had too much choucroute (Alsatian Sauerkraut) or if you can still have pudding 😜
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Another great article! Thanks for sharing this curiosity! Next time I’ll go to Strasbourg I’ll hide myself behind the pink column.
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Thanks, Filipa! You sure can! Lots of little nooks and side streets where you can hide away in Strasbourg ^^
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I’ve been in some of them. Strasbourg is a city to be lost and found.
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Belly measuring column…..very interesting 😅
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Hahaha yes, they were different times! 😆
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Merci pour ces photos et articles sur Strasbourg, une ville pleine de richesses au carrefour des civilisations.
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Merci beaucoup, vous deux, ça fait vraiment plaisir ! Effectivement, Strasbourg a une grande richesse culturelle, historique et gastronomique 😍
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This is fabulous. What a hoot! I think every town should have one, as it could save a lot of people.
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Haha, very handy, right? It’s timeless, and the battery will never run out 😅
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Very interesting. Never come across anything like this before
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Right!? Love these odd little details in old cities 🥰
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Wow! Great photo and I love your play on combined words! It had me guessing for a minute!
The Castle Lady
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Thank you so much, Evelyn! We’re thrilled you’re enjoying our content. Please stick around for more 😊
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[…] Slip sideways behind the belly-measuring column, also known as the “Büchmesser” (10 place de la […]
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