DEUTSCHLAND	GERMANY
Bundesland: Schleswig-Holstein
Kreis: Nordfriesland

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Westerland is a popular seaside resort on the German North Sea island of Sylt. Since 2009, Westerland is part of the municipality Sylt. It is the largest resort on the island, the local transportation hub and the centre of Sylt's tourist industry. The town has a population of about 9,000 (2007).

After the All Saints' Day Flood of 1436 had destroyed the biggest part of the community of Eidum, the survivors built a new community to the northeast on a heath. The new settlement was called Hedigen (heath area). Westerlant was first medntioned in 1462. The village grew rapidly during the 17th and 18th centuries because people experienced a great increase in wealth thanks to whaling. In 1855 it was decided to turn Westerland into a seaside resort. After 1857, the minor village began to grow into a larger resort. In 1880, the first solid building was erected on the dunes right at the beach. Electricity was available from 1893. In 1897, a telephone cable to the mainland was laid. In the 1890s, Westerland replaced Keitum as the preeminent town on Sylt, not just for tourists but also regarding infrastructure and facilities used by the locals. In 1908, a building for spa applications was built (Kurmittelhaus). The original airfield (now Sylt Airport) was constructed in 1912. In 1948 Westerland was officially recognition as a seaside spa town ('Nordseeheilbad'). The municipality of Sylt was formed on 1 January 2009 by merging the former municipalities of Westerland, Sylt-Ost and Rantum. Although Westerland had the status of a town, the new municipality of Sylt did not apply for this status.

The building depicted in the centre of the picture on glass no. 3786 is the former Strandhalle. The wooden construction was demolished in 1960 and was replaced by a modern construction (Kurstrandhalle) on the west beach. In 1985 a storm flood caused so heavy damages that that building had to be demolished as well and the current Weststrandhalle was bilt in 1986 some 110 m further east.

The Hotel Miramar [right] was built in art nouveau style in 1903.

[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerland, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerland,_Germany, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylt_(Gemeinde); https://www.list.de/ueber-list/der-ort/geschichtliches--geschichten/index.php; https://www.hotel-miramar.de/hotel/geschichte.html]