Wissower Klinken, Chalk rock formation in Sassnitz, Germany.
Wissower Klinken is a chalk cliff formation along the Baltic coast in Jasmund National Park, made of white limestone that rises vertically from the sea. The rock wall stretches for several hundred meters and forms a distinctive natural landmark visible from the hiking paths that run along the shoreline.
These chalk cliffs formed during the last ice age when glaciers deposited layers of chalk that were later exposed by coastal erosion. In 2005, a major collapse reshaped the formation significantly when thousands of cubic meters of chalk broke away and fell into the Baltic Sea.
The name Wissower Klinken comes from the Slavic word 'klinŭ', meaning wedge or angle, referring to the original shape of these rock walls. Visitors who walk along the coast notice how this place has become part of local memory and a landmark that people return to again and again.
The site is reached through a hiking trail that passes through beech forest with moderate difficulty and clear markings. Wear sturdy shoes and stay on marked paths, as the soft chalk continues to erode and the ground can be unstable near the cliff edge.
The cliff was documented by the German Geological Society as part of the Geotope³ Initiative, serving as a case study for mapping rock movement and erosion in three dimensions. This scientific work demonstrates how digital surveying helps track the rapid changes happening to the coastal landscape.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
