Bunker am Kap Arkona

Führungsbunker Volksmarine

Useful Information

Location:	Am Parkplatz 1, 18556 Putgarten. Kap Arkona, Rügen. (54.6806710, 13.4316756)
Open:	All year daily 10-15. [2026]
Fee:	Adults EUR 8, Children (6-14) EUR 4, Families (2+2) EUR 20. [2026]
Classification:	Secret Bunker
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:	NVA Bunker: AR=2.000 m².
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1915	construction of the first bunker.
1979	start of construction of the NVA-Bunker.
1985	NVA-Bunker published in book.
1986	NVA-Bunker completed.
03-OCT-1990	NVA-Bunker closed.

Description

Kap Arkona is generally considered to be the northernmost point of Rügen, but this is not entirely correct. In fact, that honour belongs to Gellort, about one kilometre to the north-west. The island of Rügen consists of soft, white chalk from the Cretaceous period, which was formerly used as school chalk. This is easily eroded by the sea, forming a white cliff coastline that is quite comparable to the famous chalk cliffs of Dover. Kap Arkona is one of the most popular destinations on Rügen, attracting around 800,000 visitors annually. There are two lighthouses, a direction-finding tower, two military bunkers and the Slavic Jaromarsburg at the cape. The bunkers were acquired by the municipality of Putgarten after reunification. After renovation, the NVA bunker was opened to the public.

The smaller bunker is also the older one and dates back to the Wehrmacht era. It is commonly referred to as the Arkona Bunker and is no longer accessible to the public. Originally, a documentation of the history of Cape Arkona from the Slavic period to the present day was set up here. This was even free to visit. It is also said to have housed an art gallery for a while. However, the bunker is now closed, according to official statements, because it is unrenovated and too dangerous. Some sources say that it is currently being renovated, but no reopening date has been announced yet.

The larger bunker was built between 1979 and 1986, meaning it was constructed during the GDR era and is also known as the NVA Bunker. However, its official name is now the Marineführungsbunker Kap Arkona (Kap Arkona Naval Command Bunker). It served as the command post for the 6th Flotilla of the People's Navy and the United Baltic Fleet (VOF). Construction of the NVA bunker began in 1979, but even before its completion in 1986, it was exposed by a publication in 1985. On the 30th anniversary of the National People's Army, the illustrated book Soldaten des Volkes (Soldiers of the People) was published. An aerial photograph of Cape Arkona showed the bunker construction site in the background. Just three days after its publication, the book was withdrawn from circulation, and a later reprint of the illustrated book no longer contained the aerial photograph. Why this image was included in the illustrated book could not be clarified. However, the original version is now a sought-after collector’s item.

The bunker was nevertheless put into operation by the NVA. It served as a command post, but was only used three to four times a year for two to three days as part of fleet manoeuvres. During this time, it had a crew of 50 to 70 soldiers. The rest of the time, the bunker was manned by six men.

The bunker consists of a main corridor with two entrances, from which several self-sufficient individual bunkers can be accessed. These are so-called Fertigteil-Bunker (FB, prefabricated bunkers) made from prefabricated concrete parts. There are three large FB-75 bunkers and nine small FB-3 bunkers. The larger type had a mezzanine floor with sleeping quarters and an emergency exit. The bunkers are located under three to five metres of earth fill.

The 2000 m² bunker complex houses an exhibition with navigation marks, model ships, navigation equipment and a ship simulator. It is accessible via a turnstile and can be visited without a guided tour. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket machine at the bunker entrance, at the tourist information office in the car park or in the souvenir shop near the lighthouses. There is a ticket for the bunker itself, but the Kap Arkona Card is also valid. This is available digitally and online, and allows access to all attractions at Kap Arkona and discounts at various shops.