Alongside a wide, sandy beach on the German island of Rugen in the Baltic Sea stands the world’s biggest hotel. A hotel so huge it stretches over a staggering three miles and has 10,000 bedrooms all facing the sea. Surprisingly even though this beach resort was built more than 70 years ago, not a single guest has ever stayed there.
That is because this beach resort named Prora was built by the Nazis between 1936 and 1939 on Hitler’s orders. During that same period, Hitler was making preparations for war which ultimately took priority, and the massive building project was never finished.
Do you know if there are any plans to complete the project, Garry? Seems a valuable piece of property to sit idle for so long. Surprised someone hasn’t either developed it, or torn down the old buildings and put up something new.
How fascinating!!! Thank you for sharing this.
I just read a rather detailed Wikipedia piece on this, and it really has a fascinating history. During the war, it was used for military purposes, including a hospital, and to house refugees from the bombing of Hamburg. After that, it’s had a long history both of military use and various authorities trying to figure out what to do with it.
Its neighbors weren’t happy with a 2008 plan to turn it into a super-resort, and it seems that at present 4 buildings have been turned into apartments and one into a youth hostel. Interesting design point: All the rooms face the ocean, with the land side taken up with hallways, toilet rooms and the like.
It remained under the Communist control of the GDR – German Democratic Republic – part of the Soviet Block.
It housed Russian and East German Troops until 1990.
After the reunification of Germany it was to be sold – but no buyers.
So now each block is to be sold separately. One block is a youth centre similar to the YMCA. Two blocks have been sold to developers.
The first of the new apartments are ready for occupation and on the market for 700,000 Euros / 900,000 US$ each !
Two of the original blocks were demolished by Russian Troops