Saufang-Weiher, protected area in Germany
Saufang-Weiher is a protected landscape area featuring a pond in Friedrichsthal that covers around 5 hectares and measures roughly 400 meters (1,300 feet) long and 200 meters (650 feet) wide. The site is surrounded by forests and includes a walking trail circling the water, an observation platform, a wooden dock, and a children's playground nearby in the trees.
The pond was created in 1957 as a settling basin for the nearby Maybach coal mine operated by Saarbergwerke AG. After the mine closed in 1964, the site fell into neglect until a local fishing club began restoring it in 1971 and continues to care for it today.
The pond serves as a gathering place for anglers and nature watchers from the area who spend their leisure time here. The site demonstrates how a community works together through a local club to transform an abandoned space into a vibrant place that welcomes everyone.
The walking trail is barrier-free and allows wheelchair users easy access to the observation platform by the water. There is free parking in Friedrichsthal-Bildstock close to the pond, with seating areas and grilling spots available on site for visitors.
The area was not originally created as a natural pond but emerged from industrial history as a settling basin for mining operations. This unexpected origin shows how industrial spaces can transform into nature refuges and today gain a second life as part of the 'Landscapes of Industrial Culture North' project.
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