Mönchgut
Encyclopedia
Mönchgut is a peninsula of 29.44 square kilometers with 6600 inhabitants in the southeast of Rügen
island in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
, Germany
. It lies just between the Greifswalder Bodden and the rest of the Baltic Sea
. Mönchgut contains the districts of Göhren
and Thiessow
; the peninsula is part of the Mönchgut-Granitz
administration area. It is also a part of the Biosphere Reserve
of Südost-Rügen.
The name translates the monks' estates. In 1252, Jaromar II, Prince of Rügen sold the area to the Cistercian monks of Eldena Abbey
, which was founded by one of his predecessors, Jaromar I, Prince of Rügen
in 1199 and by that time also belonged to the Danish
Principality of Rügen. To separate the monks' possessions from the rest of the island, a ditch was dug between Baabe
and Sellin
, known as Mönchsgraben ("monks' ditch"). Today, a large wooden gate built upoun the bridge over the Mönchsgraben marks the entrance to the Mönchgut peninsula.
The peninsula is composed of several headlands such as Reddevitzer Höft, the Kleiner Zicker and the Großer Zicker. The bay between the headlands is called Having. Off-shore to the east of the peninsula lies the island Greifswalder Oie
.
While the residents of the area earlier supported themselves through fishing and marine activities, today the area is primarily geared toward tourism. One main attraction is the local history museum in Göhren
, an open-air museum located on historical settlements. Here there is also a display of the elaborate local costumes, which Mönchgut is well-known for.
In 1806, Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
started to construct the town of Gustavia
on the peninsula, but had to abandon the project when France
occupied Mönchgut during the Napoleonic Wars
.
Mönchgut also has the final station of the narrow-gauge railway the Rasender Roland.
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
island in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a federal state in northern Germany. The capital city is Schwerin...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It lies just between the Greifswalder Bodden and the rest of the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. Mönchgut contains the districts of Göhren
Göhren
Göhren may refer to the following places in Germany:*Göhren , a village in the municipality Tramm in the district Ludwigslust-Parchim, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern*Göhren, Rügen, a municipality in the district Vorpommern-Rügen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
and Thiessow
Thiessow
Thiessow is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Besides Thiessow, the municipality includes the village Klein Zicker.-External links:**...
; the peninsula is part of the Mönchgut-Granitz
Mönchgut-Granitz
Mönchgut-Granitz is an Amt in the district of Vorpommern-Rügen, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The seat of the Amt is in Baabe.The Amt Mönchgut-Granitz consists of the following municipalities:#Baabe#Gager#Göhren#Lancken-Granitz...
administration area. It is also a part of the Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
of Südost-Rügen.
The name translates the monks' estates. In 1252, Jaromar II, Prince of Rügen sold the area to the Cistercian monks of Eldena Abbey
Eldena Abbey
Eldena Abbey , originally Hilda Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery near the present town of Greifswald in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany...
, which was founded by one of his predecessors, Jaromar I, Prince of Rügen
Jaromar I, Prince of Rügen
-Background:Jaromar was a Ranish nobleman, who was a native of the island of Rügen. Jaromar rose to be ruler of the Principality of Rügen as result of the Danish conquest of Rügen in 1168...
in 1199 and by that time also belonged to the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Principality of Rügen. To separate the monks' possessions from the rest of the island, a ditch was dug between Baabe
Baabe
Baabe is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.-External links:*...
and Sellin
Sellin
Sellin is a municipality on the Isle of Rügen, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.-External links:*...
, known as Mönchsgraben ("monks' ditch"). Today, a large wooden gate built upoun the bridge over the Mönchsgraben marks the entrance to the Mönchgut peninsula.
The peninsula is composed of several headlands such as Reddevitzer Höft, the Kleiner Zicker and the Großer Zicker. The bay between the headlands is called Having. Off-shore to the east of the peninsula lies the island Greifswalder Oie
Greifswalder Oie
Greifswalder Oie is a small island in the Baltic Sea, located east of Rügen on the German coast. The island covers an area of about 54 hectares.-History:...
.
While the residents of the area earlier supported themselves through fishing and marine activities, today the area is primarily geared toward tourism. One main attraction is the local history museum in Göhren
Göhren
Göhren may refer to the following places in Germany:*Göhren , a village in the municipality Tramm in the district Ludwigslust-Parchim, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern*Göhren, Rügen, a municipality in the district Vorpommern-Rügen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
, an open-air museum located on historical settlements. Here there is also a display of the elaborate local costumes, which Mönchgut is well-known for.
In 1806, Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden also Gustav Adolph was King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. He was the son of Gustav III of Sweden and his queen consort Sophia Magdalena, eldest daughter of Frederick V of Denmark and his first wife Louise of Great Britain. He was the last Swedish...
started to construct the town of Gustavia
Gustavia, Rügen
Gustavia was a 19th century unfinished Swedish town on the island of Rügen, the construction of which began and had to be aborted during the Napoleonic Wars.-Background:...
on the peninsula, but had to abandon the project when France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
occupied Mönchgut during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
Mönchgut also has the final station of the narrow-gauge railway the Rasender Roland.