A Nazi hotel that has never been used

Stretching for more than four kilometers along the sandy beach of the Baltic Sea, the largest hotel in the world is located on the German island of Rugen — it has 10,000 rooms with windows overlooking the sea. However, for more than 70 years since its construction, no tourist has set foot here.

The hotel is called "Prora" — huge buildings built between 1936 and 1939 by the Nazis as part of the Reich's "Strength through Joy" program. The purpose of this hotel is to provide leisure for German workers and to spread Nazi propaganda. Locals call the hotel "Colossus" because of its huge size.

"Prora" lies in the gulf between the regions of Sassnitz and Binz, in a narrow strip of steppe that separates the lagoon from the Baltic Sea.

The complex consists of eight identical buildings that stretch for 4.5 km and are located about 150 m from the beach.

The construction of the hotel, which was attended by 9 thousand workers, took three years. The Nazis had plans to build four more similar hotels with cinemas, concert halls, swimming pools and a marina where cruise liners could dock.

Hitler's plans for Prora were very ambitious. He wanted to create a huge seaside resort, the most impressive and largest in the world, which would have 20,000 rooms.

It was planned that all the windows of the rooms would face the sea, and the corridors and bathrooms would be located on the left side of the building. Each room has dimensions of 5×2.5 m, it would have two beds, a wardrobe and a sink.

On each floor there were toilets, showers and an extensive lobby. It was planned to erect a huge building in the center, which could be turned into a military hospital in case of war.

The war, of course, came, but even before the building was ready for use, and Hitler's priorities changed.

He sent all the builders to the weapons factory.

During the bombing campaign of the anti-Hitler coalition, many residents of Hamburg took refuge in one of these blocks, and later refugees from the east of Germany were housed here.

By the time the war ended, these buildings housed the auxiliary female Air Force personnel.

After the war, Prora was used as a military post for the GDR army.

After the unification of Germany in 1990, part of the hotel was used by a Military technical school, and later refugees from the Balkans were accommodated here.

Today the hotel is practically not used.

In 2001, one block was turned into a youth hostel with 400 seats. Now it is planned to transform Prora into a modern resort with 300 beds, which will have tennis courts and a swimming pool, as well as a small shopping center.