The Nazi resort that never hosted a guest is now a luxury destination.

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Designed to house 20,000 workers under the Strength Through Joy program, the massive Prora complex on the island of Rügen was never completed. After decades of military use and decay, this architectural behemoth is being transformed into modern holiday apartments, a youth hostel, and a luxury hotel.

Commissioned by the Nazi Party between 1936 and 1939, Prora was envisioned as a monumental seaside resort to win over the working class through affordable mass tourism. Architect Clemens Klotz designed the complex to stretch 4.5 kilometres along the Baltic coast, with every room featuring a sea view. The project was intended to hold 20,000 guests, complete with a massive festival hall, cinema, and swimming pools. However, the onset of World War II in 1939 halted construction, leaving the buildings as empty shells.

Following the war, the site underwent a series of transformations. The Soviet Army occupied the area, stripping the buildings of usable materials, while the East German military later used the site for training and as a convalescent home. Notably, the 40th Parachute Battalion was housed there from 1960 to 1982, and conscientious objectors served as construction soldiers in the complex during the 1980s. By the time of German reunification in 1990, the site was a decaying relic of both Nazi ambition and Cold War military history.

Today, Prora is experiencing a controversial rebirth. While some locals and historians argue that the site's dark past makes it an inappropriate location for tourism, developers have successfully sold off individual blocks for renovation. Since 2016, luxury apartments and the Prora Solitaire hotel have opened, alongside Germany's largest youth hostel. The site now stands as a complex intersection of historical memory and modern real estate, where the remnants of a failed propaganda project are being repurposed for the leisure class.

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