Sortehusene – The Black Houses of Stige Ø

A Community Born from Necessity

Sortehusene emerged in the early 1900s as an unconventional solution to housing shortage. The collection of approximately 30 small dwellings was constructed entirely from salvaged materials—wood, tar paper, and other recycled components—by residents seeking affordable shelter on the southern coast of Stige Ø. Despite lacking official municipal approval, Odense Kommune imposed a symbolic annual rent of 2 kroner per house, acknowledging the structures' existence while maintaining a degree of administrative distance. The name Sortehusene, meaning "the black houses," derives from the tar paper covering that gave the buildings their distinctive dark appearance, though they were also historically known as Skyttehusene or Skydehusene.

Life in Primitive Conditions

From 1945 until the area's sanitation in 1967, Sortehusene functioned as year-round housing for its most vulnerable residents. Living conditions were extraordinarily harsh: the houses contained no electricity, no indoor plumbing, and no toilets. Winter populations fluctuated dramatically—in 1956, local newspaper Fyens Stiftstidende estimated that 5 to 6 families occupied the houses during summer months, but only 3 permanent residents remained through the winter. The community survived through manual labor at nearby shipyards, fishing in the fjord, and harvesting mussel shells from the seabed, which were processed at local shell-works for use as poultry feed and industrial materials. This shell-gathering industry remained viable until the 1970s, when depleted resources forced the final shell-workers to abandon the trade.

Transformation and Preservation

In 1966, Odense Municipality prohibited year-round habitation, effectively ending the settlement's original purpose. The area subsequently underwent dramatic transformation: from 1965 to 1994, Stige Ø served as the city's primary landfill, creating an environmental burden on the surrounding fjord ecosystem. Following recognition of this ecological damage, a comprehensive remediation project between 1994 and 2005 converted the former dumping ground into a recreational green space. Today, approximately half of the original houses survive and have been repurposed as holiday cottages, preserving this remarkable historical settlement. The remaining structures stand as tangible reminders of a working-class community that operated on the margins of urban society, drawing comparison to Copenhagen's famous Christiania district. Visitors can observe the authentic architectural character of these hand-built homes while walking the scenic trails of Stige Ø, which now functions as a nature reserve and popular destination for birdwatching and landscape appreciation.

The Broader Landscape and Natural Recovery

Sortehusene exists within the larger context of Stige Ø's ecological and recreational renaissance. The island's northern section, Stige Ø Nord, was artificially created during the excavation of Odense Canal between 1797 and 1804, with dredged material forming new land. Today, this area supports extensive salt marshes, flowering meadows rich in beach asters, and a 12-hectare lake that has become one of Funen's most visited birdwatching locations. Visitors may observe swimming ducks, including pintails and shovelers, as well as hares and roe deer during early morning visits. The landscape's recovery from industrial use to thriving natural habitat demonstrates the potential for environmental restoration, making Sortehusene not merely a historical curiosity but part of a broader narrative of urban renewal and ecological healing.