The underwater gondola in Zingst: exploring the Baltic Sea without diving

At the end of the 270-metre pier in Zingst, Germany, stands a structure resembling a spaceship. It is, in fact, an underwater gondola which, since 2013, has been taking tourists a few metres below the surface of the Baltic Sea. All you have to do is step inside to see the sea from a completely different perspective, without having to go diving.

The underwater gondola in Zingst

The underwater gondola (German: Tauchgondel) is situated at the very end of the pier in Zingst, a popular seaside resort on the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula. The attraction opened in June 2013 as the fourth gondola of its kind in Germany. The journey itself lasts around 30–40 minutes, and the cabin can accommodate up to 30 people. When submerged, the cabin descends about four metres below the water’s surface, remaining roughly one metre above the seabed. The gondola moves vertically along a guide rail, meaning passengers need not worry about the rocking motion typical of small boats. From inside, you can observe seals, fish, jellyfish, crabs, mussels and underwater plants.

60 tonnes of steel and 17 thick panes of glass

Behind this seemingly simple attraction lies a complex structure packed with technology. The gondola weighs around 60 tonnes and is fitted with 17 thick glass windows through which passengers can observe the Baltic seabed. As the heavy cabin must overcome buoyancy forces during submersion, the entire mechanism is powered by an electric drive. The structure is fully adapted to operate in a harsh marine environment, where the equipment is constantly exposed to water, waves and corrosion. The shape of the gondola itself is equally interesting. The rounded capsule at the end of a long, narrow jetty is somewhat reminiscent of a vehicle from a science-fiction film.

The underwater gondola in Zingst – its history

Zingst was not the first German seaside resort to have an underwater gondola. The pioneering structure appeared in 2006 in Zinnowitz on the island of Usedom. Later, similar attractions were built in Sellin on Rügen and in Grömitz. The gondola in Zingst was launched in 2013 as the fourth attraction of its kind on the German Baltic coast. The history of the pier itself goes back much further. The first wooden structure in Zingst was erected in 1882. The structure, which had been damaged by storms, was dismantled in 1947, and the current pier was opened in 1993. It is 270 metres long and 2.5 metres wide.

The Baltic Sea behind glass: an underwater cinema

The experience inside the capsule is not just about passively looking through the windows. The staff explain the Baltic Sea’s ecosystem, its inhabitants and the protection of the marine environment. The gondola also features an underwater 3D cinema, allowing visitors to see organisms that they might not have spotted through the windows. This is particularly important when the water is murky and visibility is poor. The underwater gondola is therefore a combination of a tourist attraction, nature education and unusual engineering. Zingst is also relatively close to Poland. It is about 140 km from Świnoujście and just under 200 km from Szczecin. For residents of Western Pomerania, it could therefore be an interesting idea for a day trip to the German coast – just as beautiful, and perhaps even more so, than the Polish coast.

Source: tauchgondel.de, zingst.de

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