The Seebrücke Sellin extends more than 390 meters from the wooded cliff below the Ostseebad Sellin resort out over the Baltic Sea, ending in a two-story restaurant pavilion with a diving platform beneath it. The pier's long wooden deck and railing work as a natural leading line in both directions: shooting east at sunrise puts the sun directly down the pier's axis and silhouettes the railing posts, while shooting back toward shore captures the pier's Art Nouveau-style pavilion and the wooded Selliner Hochufer cliff behind it. Blue hour is especially strong here, when the pavilion's restaurant windows and the pier's lamp posts light up against a darkening sky and the sea beneath the pier stills into flat reflections. The pier is accessible and photogenic year-round, but May through September gives the clearest, most turquoise water beneath the structure; a calm, low-wind evening produces the best long-exposure results for the water. The pier is one of Rügen's most-visited landmarks and gets crowded at the shore end and pavilion steps from midday through early evening in summer, so working from the pier's outer third, past the main crowd bottleneck, gives more room for a tripod. Tripods are permitted on the public pier deck outside of restaurant seating areas; drone flights over the pier and adjoining beach are restricted under local aviation rules, and there is no separate charge to walk the pier itself, though the pavilion's restaurant and diving platform have their own access terms.
| Best time | Sunrise looking east down the pier deck, or blue hour when the pier restaurant lights come on |
|---|---|
| Best season | Year-round; May-September for the clearest water color beneath the pier |
| Address | Seebrücke 1, 18586 Ostseebad Sellin, Germany |
Shooting notes
- Equipment
- Wide-angle lens to use the pier railing as a leading line, Tripod and ND filter for smoothing the sea in long exposures, Polarizing filter for water clarity
Weather through the year in Germany
Best time Shoulder Worth avoiding
Average daytime temperature in °C. Figures are for Germany.
Location
Seebrücke 1, 18586 Ostseebad Sellin, Germany
54.3773, 13.6975 View on map
Highlights
- 390-meter wooden pier extending into the Baltic Sea
- Two-story Art Nouveau-style restaurant pavilion at the pier's end
- Diving platform beneath the pavilion
- Wooded Selliner Hochufer cliff as a backdrop toward shore
Tips for visiting
- A wide-angle lens turns the pier railing into a strong leading line toward the pavilion
- Use a tripod with an ND filter to smooth the sea into long-exposure reflections at blue hour
- A polarizing filter improves water clarity for daytime shots beneath the pier
- Restrooms are available near the pier entrance and within the pavilion restaurant
- Shoot from the outer third of the pier, past the shore-end crowd, for a clearer tripod position
When to visit
Sunrise for a sun-down-the-deck composition, or blue hour when the pavilion's restaurant lights and lamp posts illuminate against the darkening sky.
Visit, book or contact
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fee to walk onto the pier?
No, walking the pier deck itself is free; only the restaurant and diving platform inside the pavilion have separate charges.
Are tripods allowed?
Yes, tripods are permitted on the public deck areas, away from restaurant seating.
When is the water clearest beneath the pier?
May through September typically gives the clearest, most turquoise water for photos taken from the pier or beach below.
Can drones be flown over the pier?
No, drone flights over the pier and adjoining beach are restricted under local rules.