{{about|the village in Germany on the Baltic Sea island of Ruegen|other uses|Vitt (disambiguation)}} thumb|Vitt fishing village thumb|Houses in Vitt thumb|Chapel near Vitt
The fishing village of '''Vitt''' lies on the German Baltic Sea island of Rügen, more precisely on the Wittow peninsula near Cape Arkona.<ref name="VaR"/> The village is part of the municipality of Putgarten. Because of its location in a coastal gully on the cliffed coast, called Liete, Vitt is not visible from afar. However, from the edge of the gully there is a view over the thatched roofs of the village. It is a popular tourist destination; often described as "the most romantic place on Rügen".<ref name="VaR">http://www.vitt-ruegen.de/ ''Vitt auf Rügen''] at www.vitt-ruegen.de. Accessed on 19 May 2012.</ref><ref name="Fdorf">[http://suite101.de/article/das-fischerdorf-vitt-auf-ruegen-a59528 ''Das Fischerdorf Vitt auf Rügen''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519070407/http://suite101.de/article/das-fischerdorf-vitt-auf-ruegen-a59528 |date=2012-05-19 }} at suite101.de. Accessed on 19 May 2012.</ref><ref>[http://www.ruegen-hiddensee.de/Sehenswertes/Vitt---der-romantischste-Ort-Ruegens.html ''Vitt - der romantischste Ort Rügens''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205055250/http://www.ruegen-hiddensee.de/Sehenswertes/Vitt---der-romantischste-Ort-Ruegens.html |date=2017-02-05 }} at www.ruegen-hiddensee.de. Accessed on 19 May 2012.</ref> The ''Marco Polo'' guide rates it as one of the top 15 highlights on the island of Rügen.<ref>Sucher, Kerstin and Wurlitzer, Bernd (2011) ''Rügen, Hiddensee, Stralsund'', Marco Polo, p. 5, {{ISBN|978-3-8297-0536-3}}.</ref>
== Name ==
The name Vitt is derived from the word ''Vitte(n)/Witte'' (German: "depot of a Hanseatic town where fish was processed"; Swedish: {{lang|sw|vittja}} = "landing place, trading post and stockyard"). Actually Vitt was only a temporarily occupied ''Vitte'' from the outset where fish that had been caught were processed (cf. Vitte). The name could however also come from ''Vit'', a common Slavic name (for the founder of a settlement), or ''witt'' for "white" because of its white houses.<ref name="Fdorf"/>
Because there is no record of its foundation, the exact age of the village is unknown. According to the reports of Danish historian, Saxo Grammaticus, the village was probably already in existence by the 10th century as a fishing and trading port belonging to the Slavic Jaromarsburg on Cape Arkona.<ref name="Fdorf"/>
It was first mentioned in the records on 25 May 1290, when the Rügen prince, Witzlaw II, granted the place the right and freedom to fish.<ref name="Fdorf"/>
Above the village is the little Vitt Chapel, whose construction began in 1806 and was finally completed in 1816. It was built because more and more visitors came to hear the shore sermons of Altenkirchen pastor, Ludwig Gotthard Kosegarten, and there was no room for several of the visitors in the fishing huts during bad weather.<ref name="Fdorf"/>
The village, which is under heritage protection is very well preserved and receives a constant stream of tourists. In the small harbour, trips in fishing boats around Cape Arkona may be booked.
Vitt is best accessed on bicycle, horse-drawn coach or with the ''Arkona-Bahn'' from Putgarten. No private cars are allowed because driving around the cape is only allowed with special permission.
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons}} * [http://www.vitt-ruegen.de/ ''Vitt auf Rügen'' homepage] * [http://www.ruegen-hiddensee.de/Sehenswertes/Vitt---der-romantischste-Ort-Ruegens.html ''Vitt - der romantischste Ort Rügens'' ("Vitt - the Most Romantic Place on Rügen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205055250/http://www.ruegen-hiddensee.de/Sehenswertes/Vitt---der-romantischste-Ort-Ruegens.html |date=2017-02-05 }} {{in lang|de}}
{{Coord|54|39|57|N|13|25|54|E|type:city_region:DE-MV|display=title}}
{{Authority control}} Category:Vorpommern-Rügen Category:Putgarten Category:Towns and villages on Rügen Category:Wittow