Prora is a site on the German Baltic Sea island of Rügen. During the Nazi era the worker's organization Kraft durch Freude (Strength through Joy) began building a huge beach resort hotel for 20,000 people at the shore of the Baltic Sea. The project was almost finished when World War II started, but it was never used as a hotel. In the East German era the site was used as a military base.

In the 1990s, parts of it were opened as a museum, but most parts of the megalomaniacal 4.5-kilometre-long building complex remained empty. Since 2005, various parts were developed to become apartments, youth hostels or event locations (such as the M3 Prora night club). Prora is also known as the Colossus of Rügen.

Maps of the complex in 1945 and today

Prora seen from above

Prora seen from the land side

Prora seen from the sea side

Get in

One way to get to Prora is by car. It is situated on the eastern shore of Rügen between Binz and Sassnitz.

There are two train stations, 1 Prora and 2 Prora Ost . Both are served by the regional trains from Stralsund to Binz.

Cyclists on the Baltic Sea Cycle Route (EuroVelo 10) will pass Prora on their way around Rügen.

Get around

You can get around the site by foot; however, if you want to see the whole building complex from end to end you might want to take a car or bicycle.

See

The building itself is the main attraction.

• 1 Dokumentationszentrum Prora, Objektstraße (Block 1, in the centre of the complex next to the former theatre), ☏ +49 38393 13991, info@proradok.de. The museum with some restored hotel rooms and pictures. €6/3. 
• 2 Prora Zentrum, Mukranerstraße 12 (Block 5, in the north of the area by the Youth Hostel), ☏ +49 38393 127921. Daily 10:00-16:00. 
• 3 Rügen Railway & Technology Museum (Eisenbahn & Technik Museum Rügen; ETM) (next to the train station).  

Do

The Baltic Sea beach offers recreation and sports such as kite surfing, jetskiing, banana-boating and stand-up paddling.

Eat

• 1 La Casa del Gelato (Eiscafé Prora), Strandstraße 35. (updated Jul 2018)
• 2 Heimathafen Prora, Strandstraße 34, ☏ +49 38393 589618. (updated Jul 2018)

Drink

There is a Reading Cafe in the Dokumentationszentrum.

Sleep

• 1 Camping Meier, Proraer Chaussee, ☏ +49 38393 2085. (updated Jul 2018)
• 2 Youth Hostel Prora, Mukraner Straße 12 (Block 15), ☏ +49 38393 66880, jh-prora@jugendherberge.de. Youth hostel with a camping. 418 in 96 rooms. B&B from €23.50. 
• 3 Prora Solitaire - Das Hotel, ☏ +49 38393 450. (updated Jul 2018)
• There are also several houses with rooms for rent in the area.

Go next

• Binz
• Sassnitz