World heritage site

The Jasmund National Park is a nature reserve on the Jasmund peninsula. Here you can find the most famous landmark of Rügen: chalk cliffs that rise up to 161m above the Baltic Sea and are covered by an ancient beech forest on top. In June 2011, a part of the national park became UNESCO World heritage. The best-known cliff of the park is the Königsstuhl (king’s chair) with a height of 118m. Right next to it, there is the Königsstuhl National Park Centre which provides plenty of information about the island and its history with exhibitions, tours etc.

Together with the Danish island of Møn, Rügen once belonged to a larger plateau of chalk lime, which had been pressed to the earth's surface by tectonic movements. Most of this land mass disappeared due to erosion and faults, leaving the two islands with their characteristic chalk cliffs. Chalk is an important tourist and export commodity for Rügen. Because of its great economic importance, it is called the "White Gold" of Rügen.