The town of Højrup
Take your mobile telephone with you and explore Højrup’s history by scanning the many QR codes distributed around the village.

The opening of the railway line between Ringe and Faaborg in 1882 transformed Højrup from ma small village into a town offering lots of business opportunity for enterprising traders. Businesses opened one after the other: A baker’s, an ironmonger’s, a grocer’s, a telephone exchange, textiles shop, a hairdresser, a shoemaker, and a butcher’s. A margarine factory also found its way here in 1909. With the margarine factory (later to become at oatmeal mill named Viking) and a rising population followed a wave of new houses, and the old dream from 1882 about Højrup becoming a real city resurfaced. But this dream was shattered for good when the railway was closed in 1962. Most businesses shut down, especially after the mill also closed, and the railway line has later been transformed into a nature trail. However, the village is now full of enthusiastic and dedicated villagers who have reinvigorated the old railway town.

More information about the town is available on http://www.visithojrup.dk/

Viking Oatmeal Mill

Viking Mølle can be seen from anywhere in Højrup. It is still standing as a landmark of much of the village history.

Today, the factory stands empty, but if we could go a century or so back in time, we would have, we would have seen a mill teeming with hard-working people. Højrup vegetable oil and margarine factory which would eventually become the largest employer in town was opened in 1909. After only 9 years of production, the lack of import of vegetable oils put a stop to the procution of margarine and production was converted into making potato starch and later again to milling grain at which time its name was changed to Viking. Viking began to outgrow both location and production aim in the 1930s. New buildings were built and new times arrived. Milling grain alone was no longer profitable and the factory had to change tracks. Feed production started and became the new main production line. A fire in 1944 destroyed the old grain mill and officially put an end to grain milling at Viking. The good times for Viking ended abruptly with a turbulent year at the commodities exchange in 1977 which bankrupted the company. However, this did not stop production on the site because a new company which produced special feed was established. Unfortunately this venture did not take off as well as hoped for and the old factory was closed for good in 2000.

You can find more information about Viking at http://www.visithojrup.dk/