Sagard’s spa history began on a special date: in 1795, the pastor of Sagard founded Rügen’s first spa beside the church in the Brunnenaue. A stay offers several clearly distinct themes: the local history and church in Sagard, a 16-kilometre circular trail, and chalk and fossil-related attractions in Gummanz, within the municipality.

Local History Between the Brunnenaue and St. Michael’s Church

The Brunnenaue is a small, idyllic park in the centre of Sagard; the historic spa was located there. St. Michael’s Church was built around 1210 as a single-nave, late Romanesque hall church without a tower and is one of the oldest churches on Rügen. These are two distinct historical landmarks: early church architecture and the founding of the spa in 1795. If you are chiefly interested in Sagard’s cultural heritage, you can focus your visit on these specific buildings and local histories.

A Circular Trail as a Route Option in Its Own Right

The northern section of the “Romantic Rügen” themed circular trail starts and ends in Sagard. It is 16 km long, runs through the interior of the Jasmund Peninsula and passes chalk quarries that are still in active operation. As this status may change, check the current route conditions before setting out. At 16 km, the circular trail is a route option in its own right, alongside a visit focused on the Brunnenaue and the church. The distance gives you a concrete point of reference when deciding whether the route fits into your stay.

Chalk and Fossils in Gummanz

Gummanz offers a dedicated focus on chalk: the Rügen Chalk Museum explores chalk, its extraction on Rügen and the fossils it contains. The grounds include an open-air museum with a chalk quarry, a chalk lake, a nature trail and a viewpoint overlooking the chalk cliffs. The nature trail starts at the museum, loops around the Gummanz chalk quarry and continues to the “Little Königsstuhl”. The exhibition themes and the trail offer different ways to discover chalk.

With a little luck, you can find your first fossils in the “digging box” in the outdoor area. The museum also offers identification of fossils brought in by visitors. The Rügen Chalk Museum and its grounds are accessible and suitable for strollers. If specific access conditions are important for your plans, check them before your visit.

Glacial Erratic and Burial Mound

Traces of early human working can be seen on the Quoltitz sacrificial stone; they probably date back to the Bronze Age. The enormous granite glacial erratic, which originated in Scandinavia, weighs more than 70 tonnes and is one of the largest granite erratics on Rügen. The Dobberworth is also located near Sagard: at 12 m high, it is the largest burial mound on Rügen. The two archaeological features are distinctly different: the sacrificial stone combines geological scale with traces of human working, while the Dobberworth is centred on a monumental burial site.

Plan Your Journey

The bus routes listed are operated by VVR: route 13 from Sassnitz, Glowe and Wittow to Sagard, and route 12 from Bergen to Sagard. Sassnitz or Bergen are listed as starting points for train travel to Sagard. Check current connections and timetables before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Wiek auf Rügen, Dranske, Breege, Glowe, Putgarten, Altenkirchen, Lohme

Return to the main travel guide: Amt Nord-Rügen.