Mountain type Chalk | Elevation 118 m | |
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Similar Jasmund National Park, Königsstuhl National Park Cent, Jasmund, Cape Arkona, Granitz Hunting Lodge | ||
The Königsstuhl (King's Chair) is the best-known chalk cliff on the Stubbenkammer in the Jasmund National Park on the Baltic Sea island of Rügen. It lies at 118 m above sea level (NN).
Map of K%C3%B6nigsstuhl, 18546 Sassnitz, Germany
In 2004 the Königsstuhl was incorporated into the terrain of the Königsstuhl National Park Centre. It can be reached along a cliff top path, 11 kilometres long in total, that runs from Sassnitz to Lohme, or from the large car park in Hagen (in the municipality of Lohme) 3 km away. Since 2004, entry to the National Park Centre and hence access to the Königsstuhl has been subject to a charge.
The narrow yet massive granite steps, that lead to the plateau on the Königsstuhl, 200 m² in area, lie over the site of what is suspected to be a Bronze Age barrow. From the plateau is a sweeping view of the Baltic Sea. The Königsstuhl itself is best seen from the viewing point of Victoria View (Victoria-Sicht) to the south.
There is a legend that the name Königsstuhl ("King's Chair") goes back to an event in 1715 when the Swedish king, Charles XII is supposed to have commanded a sea battle against the Danes from this spot. The battle tired the ruler so much, such that he needed to take a chair.
However, the name Königsstuhl was used in a travel report by the vicar, Rhenan, in 1586, who had been tasked by the Pomeranian duke to find mineral springs, thus it is clear that it had been named much earlier.
According to a legend, the name is actually derived from a custom whereby in ancient times the person elected king was the first to climb the cliffs from the sea and sit in the chair on the top.