The Binz pier was rebuilt in 1994 and, as Rügen's second-longest pier, extends a total of 370 meters into the Baltic Sea.
What is the history of the pier in the Baltic Sea resort of Binz?
Around 1900, three quarters of all guests to the seaside resort of Binz still traveled by ship; there was no Rügen bridge to the mainland. The passengers and their luggage were transferred to smaller boats because larger ships could not dock in the shallow coastal areas due to their draft. Due to increasing tourism, the municipal council at the time decided in 1901 to build a 560 meter long jetty so that passengers could leave their ships more comfortably via this pier.
After just one year of construction, Rügen's first pier was opened on July 22, 1902. It already had electric lighting, which was special for the time. The electricity was generated using a steam engine that was located near the Binz Kurhaus. Another feature of this pier was a restaurant at the bridgehead.
The Binz pier in 1902
The Binz pier in 1902
On the night of December 30, 1904 to the 31st, a storm surge destroyed the Binz pier. However, just two years later, a more stable construction was built in the same place. This pier was called Prinz-Heinrich-Brücke since 1910.
On July 28, 1912, a tragedy occurred at the Binz pier: During a mooring maneuver, a steamer drove onto the pier, causing the steamer pier to collapse and 10 people drowning. This terrible accident provided the impetus for the founding of the German Life Saving Society (DLRG) on October 19, 1913 in Leipzig.
With the construction of the first bridge between Rügen and the mainland in 1936/37 and the expansion of the road network on the island of Rügen, the sea bridges fell somewhat into the background. They now served mainly as tourist attractions and moorings for excursion steamers.
In 1942, nature struck again and ice floes destroyed the Binz pier. Due to World War II and the lack of interest in the GDR, the pier was not rebuilt. It took 50 years for a new pier to be inaugurated on May 21, 1994.
How is the Binz pier used today?
Guests to the Baltic Sea resort of Binz are no longer brought by ship from the mainland. However, ships run between the piers and ports on the island of Rügen, e.g. Binz, Sassnitz, Sellin and Göhren (journey time between 30 and 90 minutes). Visitors to the Baltic Sea resort take boat trips all year round to explore the island from the sea along the chalk coast to Cape Arkona. The first excursion traffic at this jetty was started on June 3, 1994 by the motor ship Binz.
An annual highlight at the Binzer Seebrücke is the bridge festival followed by fireworks.