Pier: Definition and list of all piers in Germany

Pier – Especially on a vacation on the Baltic Sea or North Sea, it is quite possible that you will come across a pier or two.
While these used to only serve as landing stages for cargo ships, today they are predominantly a popular tourist attraction.
Whether on Rügen, Usedom or Zingst – the famous piers are definitely a highlight for the whole family that you shouldn’t miss out on.
You can explore them all with a roof tent.
Here you can find out everything you need to know about the definition and get a list of all the piers in Germany.

Camping Ratgeber:

What exactly are piers?

Definition – A pier is often also called a landing stage and is a structure made of either wood, steel or concrete.
The bridge often leads from the shore several hundred meters into the sea.
However, there are also sea bridges that lead into an inland lake or large river.

Why are there sea bridges?

The purpose of sea bridges is to bridge the distance from land to the point in the sea that ships can reach without touching down.
As there is often no harbor available and waters generally become increasingly shallow towards the shore, larger ships cannot sail all the way to land.
They therefore have to anchor a few meters deep in the sea.
In order to be able to board and reach the ship, sea bridges are used as mooring points and extend from the shore to the ship’s location.

Mooring for ships that cannot reach the shore
Ragen several hundred meters into the sea
Made of wood, concrete or steel

The piers on the Baltic Sea or North Sea are an absolute highlight on a seaside vacation!

Piers as a popular attraction

However, piers are no longer just used as landing stages to reach ships.
Instead, they are now a popular highlight for tourists, especially on the Baltic and North Sea.
They are not only used as viewing platforms and entertainment venues, but are often also a meeting point for numerous restaurants, cafés, stores and hotels.
Similar to the Oceanside Pier in California, the many piers on the Baltic Sea offer an amazing all-round panorama and guarantee a feeling of freedom at the same time.
Not only do you have a picturesque view of the sea and the promenade, you can also book boat trips, go fishing or enjoy the sunset from here.

A popular highlight for many tourists
Viewing platform with a view of the expansive sea
Promenade with numerous cafés, restaurants and stores
Picturesque panoramic view of the sunset
Starting point for boat tours

The longest and oldest pier

Of course, there are various bridges with different lengths and offers all over the place, which you can choose depending on your preferences.
Along the Baltic Sea coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern alone, you will find 19 piers that invite you to stroll along and linger.
The oldest pier in Ahlbeck is particularly popular, as is the longest pier in Germany with a total length of 508 meters in Heringsdorf.

Germany’s oldest pier: Ahlbeck pier
Longest pier in Germany: Heringsdorf pier (508 m)
Shortest pier on Usedom: Koserow pier (261 m)

Here you can get an impression of the longest pier in Germany: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKp47tUb6Yo