Rügen

Rügen is the largest island in Germany.

It is located in the Baltic Sea off the Pomeranian coast. The island belongs to the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district. The city of Stralsund serves as the gateway to the island. You can reach Rügen from the mainland via the Rügen Bridge and Causeway. These routes cross the Strelasund. The Strelasund is a sound of the Baltic Sea that is two kilometres wide.

The geography of Rügen is defined by a central body called Muttland. Several peninsulas extend from this main area. In the north, the Wittow and Jasmund peninsulas are prominent. These are connected to Muttland by the Schmale Heide embankment and the Wittow Ferry. They are also separated from Muttland by various lagoons, known as Bodden. The largest of these are the Großer Jasmunder Bodden and Kleiner Jasmunder Bodden.

In the south, the Zudar and Mönchgut peninsulas face the Bay of Greifswald. The island's coastline is very diverse. It features many sandy beaches, open bays, and headlands. Approximately 435 kilometres of the coastline consist of sandy beaches.

Geological features make the island unique. The chalk cliffs of the Jasmund peninsula belong to the Rügen Chalk unit. These were formed during the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous. This happened roughly 70 million years ago. The Jasmund peninsula contains the highest elevations on the island. The Piekberg reaches 164 metres, while the Königsstuhl is also a major high point. The Königsstuhl is a famous chalk cliff in Stubbenkammer. It serves as the most striking landmark of Rügen.

The history of Rügen spans thousands of years. Evidence shows settlement existed since the Stone Age. Many megalithic tombs and altar stones remain on the island today.

By the 1st century, the East Germanic tribe known as the Rugii lived there. They gave the island its name. From the 7th century, the West Slavic Rani built an empire on Rügen. They possessed a powerful navy and controlled much of the Baltic area. They built temples, such as the one at Jaromarsburg on Cape Arkona.

In 1168, the Danish king Valdemar I destroyed the Svetovid temple at Cape Arkona. This ended the religious and territorial autonomy of the Rani. The island then became a Danish principality. During this time, German colonists were introduced to the land. These colonists eventually became the most influential group. The Slavic cultural elements were largely absorbed into the German-influenced population. Later, the island passed to the duchy of Pomerania-Wolgast. By 1648, the Treaty of Westphalia gave the region to Sweden.

Today, Rügen is a major tourist destination. People visit for the diverse landscape and resort architecture. Notable seaside resorts include Binz, Baabe, Göhren, Sellin, and Thiessow.

The island has a total area of 1,288 square kilometres. It contains 45 different municipalities. Four of these have town status: Bergen, Garz, Putbus, and Sassnitz. The climate is temperate. The northern coastal areas have an oceanic climate. The rest of the island has a humid continental climate. The soil is very fertile. The Wittow area is known as a breadbasket because it produces much cabbage.

Nature conservation is very important on the island. There are two national parks located here. The Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park is in the west. It includes the island of Hiddensee. The Jasmund National Park is in the northeast. In June 2011, UNESCO named Jasmund a World Heritage Site. There is also the Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve. This reserve covers the southeastern peninsulas. The island also features many glacial erratic boulders. Some of the 22 largest boulders are legally protected geotopes.