Rügendamm

Across the Strelasund, a vital artery connecting the mainland to Germany’s largest island, lies the Rügen Causeway, or Rügen Bridge. Locals affectionately call it the Rügen Causeway, or simply Rügen Bridge. This isn’t just any bridge. It’s a monument to resilience, a testament to changing times, and a gateway to the enchanting island of Rügen. Completed in 1936, the Rügen Causeway was the first permanent link across the Strelasund. Before its construction, ferries were the only way to traverse the waters, carrying passengers, goods, and dreams between the mainland and the island. The Rügen Causeway changed everything. It opened a direct route for the old Bundesstraße 96, the vital road link, and the Stralsund-Sassnitz railway. It even provided a dedicated path for cyclists and pedestrians, uniting communities and fostering new connections. The Rügen Causeway consists of two distinct sections: the Strelasund Bridge, a combined bridge and causeway stretching 1.8 kilometers, and the Ziegelgraben Bridge, a bascule bridge spanning the Ziegelgraben stream. This latter bridge is a marvel of engineering. Its central section lifts several times a day, allowing tall ships to pass through. However, many times before the Rügen Causeway was built, people from the mainland came to the island and vice versa. For thousands of years the sound of Strelasund has separated the island of Rügen from what is today the West Pomeranian mainland. Boats crossed this stretch of water. Trade flourished. In the year 1000 or 1100, herring was already being traded here and, during excavations on the island of Rügen, even Arabic coins were found. The original ferry from Stralsund landed at the village of Altefähre on Rügen. This is where the Rügen Causeway now stands, a symbol of progress and connection, forever changing the relationship between the mainland and the island of Rügen.