Chur, 1859

Our scale was used in the most important trading centre of Chur: at the covered market, which was the vaulted hall below the Town Hall. For centuries, as in hardly any other place, Graubünden had many different cubic, linear and weight measurements all existing simultaneously. After the Swiss measurement standardisation of 1848, the valleys and villages, nevertheless, continued to use their own standards.

For their daily transactions in the market place this meant a constant converting, weighing and re-measuring. Possible confusion about length measurement valid in the town of Chur could be resolved with the 30cm-long iron bar «Churer Fuss» [Chur foot], recessed in the wall there.