The Climate Route in Middelfart

When it’s raining in Middelfart you will notice that the water is running down the middle of the street in the old town – not along the sides.

It's a way of creating greener, more lush urban spaces. Rain is managed at the surface through channels and depressions, allowing water to seep into the ground locally. This takes pressure off the city's drainage system.

When heavy rain falls, the water is directed into the Lillebælt without damaging the old buildings. In Middelfart, architecture and climate protection have been brought together and turned into an asset.

KlimaByen covers an area of 450,000 m² in the western part of the city. The project was completed in 2019 and was created in collaboration with Middelfart Municipality, Middelfart Spildevand and Realdania. KlimaByen shows how new, innovative climate adaptation solutions can be developed. The solutions are tailored to the different neighbourhoods, where rainwater becomes a visible urban element in the city.

Follow the Climate Route:

Brogade / Sct. Nicolai Kirken Here, water from the city quarter collects before being directed to Brohovedet.

Marsvinebrønden On Fisketorvet in Middelfart's old town. Together with the church's new square, a new gathering place has been created in the city.

Climate Adaptation in the City Quarter In the city quarter, a simple trough shape has been created so rainwater can be channelled through – much like in southern European mountain towns. The trough is deep enough to direct rainwater down to the harbour and out into the Lillebælt.

Skovgade Care Home Here, rainwater is disconnected from roofs, car parks and driveways – a total of approx. 6,000 m² – from the combined sewer system. This means that approx. 3,700 m³ of rainwater is retained and absorbed into the ground each year, instead of burdening the public drainage system.

Adlerhusvej / Adlerhusport The entrance from the city quarter to the forest quarter, and the old town gate of Middelfart.

Karensvej In the forest quarter around Karensvej, rain gardens with scattered trees have been established, giving the street a green character reminiscent of a forest floor. The rain gardens collect everyday rainfall, which seeps slowly and quietly into the ground.

Aktivitetsskoven (The Activity Forest) The forested area in KlimaByen is called the Activity Forest. Here, climate adaptation is combined with play, movement, sport and learning. Everyday rain seeps into hollows, while overflow is directed to Langedam/Postens Rende and from there into the Lillebælt. Several waterways meet and merge into a larger stream and small lakes.

Egevej On the narrow Egevej, the pavements have been removed – all traffic moves on the road itself. The pavements have been replaced by rain gardens with oak trees.

1. C. Hansens Allé Where A. C. Hansens Allé meets Vestre Kirkegård, a small square has been formed around a staircase and a water basin. The basin fills with rainwater that flows in as a cascade. From the basin, the water is directed on to the harbour area.

Vestre Kirkegård The water from the Allé quarter ends up in the cemetery's basin.

Sildemarken Overflow from the rain gardens in this quarter is directed to Vestre Kirkegård, where a mirror pool has been established. When it rains, the water is channelled through a rill across Vestre Kirkegård – and from there down a water staircase to Sildemarken and out into the Lillebælt.

Brohoved v/Havnegade This is where the water from the city quarter ends up. A large sand trap and an oil separator clean the rainwater before it is discharged into the Lillebælt.

See the route here