Putbus
Putbus is easily the most interesting town on Rügen Island. It is frequently also referred to as the “white town,” since all the buildings here were painted white. The center of the town was laid out from 1808 in a Neo-Classical style by Prince Wilhelm Malte. His palace was destroyed in the 1960s but many of the oddities he created here survived.
At the heart of the town is the Circus, a huge roundabout surrounded by large, white, mid-19th-century Neo-Classical buildings. A high obelisk with the prince’s crown on top is in the center of the circus. Some of the buildings once housed an elite school but it has moved downmarket from the end of the 19th century and currently houses a special needs school.
From the Circus, Alleestraße leads to the Markt, where the 1819 Classical Theater has pride of place. It is the only true theater on Rügen and its excellent acoustics are appreciated mostly by visitors during summer performances.
Across Alleestraße is the 185-acre Schlosspark (Palace Park). It was laid out as an English-style landscape garden in the early 19th century. During summer, several cafés are open inside the park.
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