Prora

Prora is a building complex 4.5 to 4.7 km long, depending on the source, on the east coast of Rügen between Binz and Sassnitz. The Nazis laid the foundation stone on 2 May 1936; as the "Seaside Resort of the 20,000" for the "Strength through Joy" organisation it was meant to hold 20,000 guests. By 1939 eight guest blocks had been built as bare shells, construction officially stopped in 1940, and the complex was never used as a resort. After 1945 it served the Red Army, and later an infantry school and a barracks of the East German National People's Army.

Prora has been a protected monument since 1994. Since 2004 blocks have been sold and converted into holiday and owner-occupied apartments; Block V has housed a youth hostel since 2011. The Documentation Centre in Block III presents the permanent exhibition "MACHTUrlaub" and offers guided tours. You can explore parts of the complex on foot, but for its full length a bicycle is more practical.