Rügen

Rügen is Germany’s largest island, located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and administered as part of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The island is noted for diverse coastlines, seaside resorts and natural parks.

Signature landscapes include the white chalk cliffs of Jasmund National Park and the long sandy beaches and resort towns such as Binz. Cape Arkona at the northern tip and the historic seaside complex of Prora are additional well-known features.

Historically the island was inhabited by Slavic peoples in the early medieval period and later formed part of Pomeranian and then Prussian territories before becoming part of modern Germany. Coastal tourism and seaside resorts developed in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Rügen sits in the southwestern Baltic Sea off Germany’s northeastern coast and is linked to the mainland near Stralsund by fixed roadway connections and bridges.

• Königstuhl height: The chalk cliffs of Jasmund include the famous cliff named Königstuhl, which reaches roughly 118 m above the Baltic Sea.
• Size and connection: Rügen is Germany's largest island and forms part of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, connected to the mainland near the city of Stralsund.

What to See #

• Jasmund National Park: Jasmund National Park on the island's northeast preserves dramatic white chalk cliffs and a beech forest that is part of a protected landscape.
• Binz: Large seaside resort town with a long sandy beach, a 394 m wooden pier and a range of hotels and visitor services on the island's southeast coast.
• Cape Arkona: A promontory on the island's northern tip with twin lighthouses, steep cliffs and a fortified cape that is a local landmark.
• Prora: A 20th-century seaside complex built between 1936 and 1939 as a mass seaside resort; a distinctive example of large-scale coastal planning from the period.