View of the Povelberg

The residential area was formerly the premises of the Povel textile company. Much of the soil was contaminated and was "cleaned" on site. The rest was stored in this mountain in an environmentally safe manner. Climbing the mountain via the stairs is, of course, somewhat strenuous, but the view is worth it.

The "Povelberg" observation hill in Nordhorn is located in the eastern part of the former site of the "Povel" textile factory, which went bankrupt in 1979, on the Nordhorn-Almelo Canal. It is shaped like a pyramid and now serves as a public park. The Povelberg is 20 meters high, with a walkable viewing platform at the top, accessible via a 98-step staircase. It is planted with four trees, features several seating areas, and offers an excellent view of the water town of Nordhorn.The Povelberg contains 40,000 cubic meters of soil contaminated with heavy metals from the former Povel textile factory. It is encapsulated with a surface protective layer consisting of uncontaminated soil, sand, and plastic film. This encapsulation is intended to prevent contaminated leachate from entering the surrounding groundwater.