Major sauna plans: Skansen unveils ambitious project

On a Wednesday night exactly one year ago, flames were shooting out of the wellness area at Skansen in Nørresundby.

A sauna cabin burned to the ground, a water slide was damaged, and smoke spread into the swimming hall. Fortunately, no one was injured, and police never found anything to suggest the fire had been deliberately set.

Today, the story is completely different.

Where there were once embers and cordon tape, something is now being built that could very well become North Jutland’s most spectacular sauna destination.

“We were of course shaken that night, but quite quickly we also started thinking: if we’re going to rebuild, then we need to build something significantly better than what we had,” says Lars Dam Møller, centre director at Skansen.

Deputy manager and head of the swimming hall, Mads Nyrup Bisgaard, adds:

“We’re getting an amazing product that will be really great for our guests.

A new, bright and modern sauna with effects, plenty of space, great heat, and a top-class stove.

It’s going to be absolutely brilliant!”

50 percent larger – and built for events

Skansen has for many years been a gathering point for sauna rituals in North Jutland, and large sauna evenings and marathon events are often quickly sold out.

The new sauna has therefore been designed with events and high capacity in mind.

“The sauna itself is growing, and we’re getting around 50 percent more seating than before.

That means we can accommodate more guests for large events while also giving them more space and comfort,” explains Mads Nyrup Bisgaard.

Where the previous panoramic sauna was built as a sunken earth sauna, the new one will be built at ground level.

“Accessibility will be improved, and the space will feel more open and inviting,” says Lars Dam Møller.

The wood inside the sauna has been chosen so it does not feel uncomfortably hot to sit on, and the seating is designed to improve both comfort and heat distribution.

“It sounds technical, but it means you can actually stay seated even when the sauna masters turn the heat all the way up,” says Mads Nyrup Bisgaard.

Lights and sound: sauna rituals as a full experience

One of the biggest upgrades is the experience itself.

The new sauna will feature an integrated lighting and sound system designed for show-style sauna rituals from day one.

“We can synchronise lighting with music and create sequences that feel more like a show than a traditional sauna.

Colours, moods, music, and heat will work together in a completely new way,” says Lars Dam Møller.

Previously, lighting was not integrated into the sauna itself, but now it will be a central part of the experience.

“It won’t just be a Spotify playlist in the background.

We can design sauna sessions where sound and light follow each other.

That makes a huge difference to the atmosphere, especially for large evening events,” says Mads Nyrup Bisgaard.

For the sauna masters, it also opens up new possibilities.

“We get better floor space, better heat, and much better working conditions.

It makes it easier to move around, perform intense sauna rituals, and create experiences people can really feel,” he says.

Including insurance compensation and additional investment, the total cost of the new sauna is around 2.5 million DKK.

North Jutland’s sauna destination

Skansen has been one of the pioneers of sauna rituals in Denmark, and today sauna culture is widespread across North Jutland.

With the new sauna, the ambition is once again to cement Skansen as one of the leading sauna destinations in the country.

“We want to be the place in North Jutland you go to if you want the biggest and most complete sauna experiences,” says Lars Dam Møller.

Inspiration has been drawn from Germany, where sauna culture is highly developed, as well as from sauna enthusiasts in Denmark.

“We’ve also visited Bjerringbro to see solutions we’d like to build upon.

We pick the best ideas and adapt them to our own culture and guests,” explains Mads Nyrup Bisgaard.

Skansen already has a strong team of sauna masters, both in-house and external, and recent events show that demand is clearly there.

“At a sauna marathon last Friday, we were completely sold out with 48 guests.

When the new sauna is ready, we’ll have better conditions for the sauna masters and even better experiences for the guests,” he says.

Ready for Midsummer

There is no exact opening date yet, but the timeline is set.

“As things stand, we are aiming for the sauna to be ready around Midsummer. We don’t want to promise a fixed date, but that is the goal we are working hard towards,” says Lars Dam Møller.

And expectations are high:

“We can’t wait to open the doors.

We believe there are not many places in Denmark where you can get exactly this kind of experience when we’re finished,” he says.

“It’s going to be absolutely brilliant,” concludes Mads Nyrup Bisgaard.