Jordbassinerne ved Assens

Exciting natural area right next to Assens. The area, called Jordbassinerne, is entirely man-made and reflects an important part of Assens town’s history. The area was previously a flat salt marsh, only ½ m above sea level. From 1884 to 2006, Assens Sukkerfabrik produced sugar from sugar beets. Large amounts of soil adhered to the beets, which had to be rinsed off before they could be used in sugar production. The soil was channeled and deposited on the former salt marsh. In the years before the factory closed in 2006, 45,000 cubic meters of soil were deposited annually – enough to fill 10 Olympic swimming pools. Over these approximately 120 years, the roughly 40-hectare area has been raised, so it now lies 10 meters above sea level. After the factory closed, the area has developed into an exciting urban natural area that also tells of an important industrial history in Assens. Today, the former sugar factory’s main building functions as the town hall for Assens Kommune, which also owns the area. Two marked trail routes are in the area. When walking around the area, do not approach the basin edges. They are very steep and can be fragile. Also, keep an eye on the children and do not let dogs run freely. All traffic in the area is at your own risk. Two 5-person shelters and a composting toilet have been set up facing the water.