Koenigsstuhl | Fotoeins Fotografie

24T27 King’s Chair, chalk cliffs, beech trees

E26

My visit to Rügen island is set mostly on the chalk cliffs as visual inspiration for building art and the ancient beech-tree forest as natural cathedrals for building community.

Königsstuhl (King’s Chair)

The name of one of the most well-known chalk cliffs is the starting point for the visitor centre, the Nationalpark Zentrum Königsstuhl, which provides descriptions of the geography, geology, and biology of this protected area.

Kreidefelsen (chalk cliffs)

A classic case for erosion by water and wind, the tall chalk cliffs have provided inspiration to many, including the 19th-century German Romanticism art movement made famous by local artist Caspar David Friedrich. Perhaps, it’s as simple as recognizing the colour context of the blue sea waters, white chalk cliffs, and the green canopy of beech trees.

Buchenwald (beech forest)

Nationalpark Jasmund: established 1990, Germany’s smallest national park at about 3100 hectares (7600 acres). In about one-sixth of the area (about 500 ha), there are untouched beech trees, which is why Jasmund is included in the pan-European inscription for “old beech forests” as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.