Cape Arkona

For ither uises see Arkona

Cape Arkona (German: Kap Arkona) is a cape on the island o Rügen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Cape Arkona is the tip o the Wittow peninsula, juist a few kilometres north o the Jasmund National Park.

View o Cape Arkona

Bishop Absalon topples the god Svantevit at Arkona in 1169

The temple fortress o Arkona, the day cried Jaromarsburg, wis the releegious centre o the Slavic Rani in the Early Middle Ages. The temple wis dedicatit tae the deity Svantevit, who wis depictit wi fower heids. The temple hoosed an important horse oracle in Slavic times, whaur the behaviour o a white stallion coud decide peace or war (horse oracles hae a lang history in this region, being awready attestit in the writins o Tacitus).

The day, anerlie aboot a quarter o the auld fortress is left, as the chalk-promontory it wis built on is slowly erodit bi the Baltic. Rescue excavations are in progress.

The fortress at Arkona wis destroyed in 1168 bi Dens invaders (see Absalon). The sanctuary o Slavic god Svantevit wis an aa destroyed. This event precedit the forced Christianisation o the region's inhabitants.

There are twa auld lichthooses at the cape, ane constructed in 1827, the ither ane in 1902. The umwhile is ane o the auldest still existin lichthooses o the Baltic Sea. It wis constructit bi the famous architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel.

In 1927, the cape's name wis gien tae a German liner, the SS Cap Arcona.

Prior tae the German reunification, Arkona wis aften conseedert the maist northren point in the German Democratic Republic. Housomeivver, the site Gellort is locatit aboot ane kilometre northwast.

See an aw

• Pomeranie durin the Early Middle Ages
• Pomeranie durin the Late Middle Ages
• Conversion o Pomeranie
• Rani (Slavic tribe)
• Principality o Rügen

Template:Baltic emporia Template:Pomerania