Is the ferry the only way to get to Sweden? Drive on a narrow dam to Poel, called South Sweden by the local people with a wink in their eyes. For a long time the island belonged to the Kingdom of Sweden after the Thirty Years´ War at the beginning of the 17th century. It was not until 1903 that the island became German again.
On the way to Poel you will first see the "Bishop's mitre". That's the name given to the 47-metre-high steeple of the church. On Poel you will quickly discover that it cannot be compared to the Vorpommern islands and the Baltic seaside resorts: no piers, no long promenades. The charms of the islands lie in the unspectacular; here you can relax and recover quietly at the beach. Aside from the beach and the main traffic road, the best way to get around is on a bicycle.
For many centuries fishermen and farmers settled on the island of Poel. Due to its strategically advantageous
location, however, warriors also became interested in the 37-square-km island. During the Thirty Years' War Poel served
as a base for Danish troops until Wallenstein conquered it in 1627. After Swedish rule the fortress that had been built
in 1620 near Kirchdorf was besieged by the Brandenburg Elector. Later the fortress went to ruin and was used as a
quarry after the island had been mortgaged to Mecklenburg.
Already in the second half of the 19th century the first visitors came to the resort. But it was not until 1900 that
tourists became strongly interested in it
Kurverwaltung Ostseebad Insel Poel
Wismarsche Str. 2
23999 Kirchdorf
phone: 038425-20347
fax: 038425-4043
e-mail: kurverwaltung@insel-poel.de
Internet: www.insel-poel.de