The Schaproder Strom separates Schaprode from the small private island of Öhe and forms a sheltered natural harbor. Schaprode thus brings together maritime navigation, the ferry connection to Hiddensee and historic local heritage.
Harbor and ferry to Hiddensee
According to the harbor operator’s current information, Schaprode Marina offers 220 berths for permanent and visiting boaters at modern floating pontoons. Also according to the harbor operator’s current information, a slipway and a boat crane complement the harbor’s facilities; all of these details may change if the harbor facilities are modified in the future.
Passenger ferries take visitors from Schaprode to the car-free Baltic Sea island of Hiddensee; Schaprode is the only place from which Hiddensee can be reached year-round. At the same time, schedules vary by season and time. So check the current timetable before your trip: year-round access and specific departure times are two separate planning considerations. If a trip to Hiddensee is a priority, factor ferry times into your choice of travel dates.
The ferry is about a seven-minute walk from Schaprode’s large parking lot; alternatively, a shuttle service is available. Before you arrive, check the latest information about parking and the shuttle if you are planning your arrival around them. A fine sandy beach lies close to the ferry terminal. It adds a distinct coastal attraction to your plans for the ferry.
Church and historical traces
St. John’s Church in Schaprode was built as a basilica in the first third of the 13th century and reduced in size in 1450. The surviving choir with its apse is still intact. This brings together the original design, a later alteration and a preserved architectural feature. The church is also historically significant: it played an important role in the Christianization of Rügen. Around 1500, it was a place of pilgrimage where a statue of the Virgin Mary was venerated. Its architectural history and religious significance therefore span different periods.
Another historical landmark is Schaprode’s atonement stone: as a murder memorial, it commemorates the slain knight Reynwart von Platen and his sons. Unlike the church’s architectural history, this monument centers on the remembrance of specific named individuals.
North of Schaprode, at Stolper Haken, lies the Schwedenschanze. It was built between 1700 and 1720 to protect the entrance to Stralsund. This adds a military dimension to the history of the church and memorials: the site’s purpose draws attention to the defense of a waterway.
Vorpommern-Rügen in a wider context
Looking at the broader travel destination of Vorpommern-Rügen takes you beyond the individual town. The district includes Rügen and the offshore islands of Hiddensee and Ummanz; it also has an estimated 60 or so museums. The old town of the Hanseatic city of Stralsund is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar.” The beech forests in Jasmund National Park on Rügen are also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe.” These examples represent distinct regional cultural and landscape themes if you’d like to explore beyond Schaprode.
Discover more destinations: Rambin, Dreschvitz, Altefähr, Hiddensee Island, Samtens, Gingst, Trent, Kluis
See the broader travel overview: Amt West-Rügen.
