Granitz Hunting Lodge

Jagdschloss Granitz stands in the middle of the Granitz ridge, a forested area covering about 1,000 hectares on the German island of Rügen. The lodge sits on the highest hill, the 107-metre Tempelberg, which was named in the 18th century for a small belvedere that once stood there. The building itself was constructed between 1838 and 1846 for Prince Wilhelm Malte I of Putbus, designed by Berlin architect Johann Gottfried Steinmeyer in the style of North Italian Renaissance castles. The quickest route to the lodge is via the Rügen Light Railway or the Hunting Lodge Express from the nearby seaside resort of Binz. Over 200,000 visitors come each year, making it the most popular castle in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The lodge has strong ties to European nobility and notable figures. Visitors have included Frederick William IV, Christian VIII, Otto von Bismarck, Elizabeth von Arnim, and Johann Jacob Grümbke. After the von Putbus family lost ownership in 1944, the lodge passed through various hands, including the Nazis and later the East German state. Many furnishings were lost or taken to Berlin, and the building now serves as a museum. A major renovation in the early 21st century restored the lodge to its former appearance. Inside, the two-storey brick building features a central tower added later by Karl Friedrich Schinkel. A cantilevered circular staircase with 154 cast-iron steps rises 38 metres, supported entirely by the side walls. From the observation platform on the roof, 145 metres above sea level, visitors can see panoramic views across southern and eastern Rügen, with the island of Usedom visible on clear days. Exhibitions include old hunting rifles and 19th-century furniture, alongside temporary displays such as paintings. A permanent exhibition focuses on Prince Malte I zu Putbus and his vision for the castle.