No. 695
The widespread storehouse grounds, belonging to the town of Aarau, were situated out-side the town walls near the Aare bridge. They consisted of a multi-purpose building, a shed and storage space. The shed now stands in Ballenberg, but the multi-purpose building, also from the early 18th century, was destroyed in a fire in the year 2002.

The building now standing in the museum was used as a wood shed. With dimensions of 22 me-tres in length and 10 metres in width, it can hardly be called a shed, though. The wooden building stands on a waist-high base made of hewn Jura limestone. It is a classic example of a post and beam construction, built from pine, with only the corner posts made of longer lasting oak. With the incorporation of a tie beam rafter roof no posts are required for the whole of the attic, enabling maximum use to be made of the space for storage purposes. The projecting eaves not only protect the facade, but also provide a sheltered work area. The palings on the ground floor and the wooden grating in the pediments provide good air circu-lation for wood storage.

On 25th April 1710, there was no wine left in the cellar of the town hall in Aarau. Consequently, instead of the usual wine on completion of a building (“Firstwein”), the workmen, who were building the storehouse, received the corresponding amount of money from the “town purse” (treasury). The year 1711 is carved on both posts at the front of the storehouse. A three-leafed clover and a goblet are carved between the figures 1 and 7.
A goblet usually meant that the carpenters were satisfied with the “Firstwein”. A circle is drawn around the goblet with radiating grooves above. As money was distributed instead of wine, it is thought that the circle symbolizes a coin in a leather money-bag tied together at the top.