Westerland is the largest resort on the island, the local transportation hub and the centre of Sylt’s tourist industry. Westerland is located on the western shore of the island. It lies 70 km northwest of Husum, 74 km west of Flensburg, 134 km northwest of Kiel and 186 km northwest of Hamburg. Thanks to its affluent, glamorous lifestyle and thriving tourism industry, Westerland has been called the Beverly Hills of Germany. Westerland is the central hub for supply, retailing, and numerous services that are provided to the inhabitants and visitors on the island of Sylt. The twin town is St. Moritz in Switzerland.
Westerland is one of the younger settlements on the island of Sylt. After the All Saints’ Day Flood of 1436 had utterly destroyed 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 (an old field name used by the people of Tinnum) had its first documentary mention in 1462. In 1695, there were 76 taxable houses. 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 1855, the local Landvogt decided to turn Westerland into a seaside resort. After 1857, the minor village centred on a church began to grow into a larger resort. That year the first hotel opened – the Dünenhalle. Many others followed, although a number of them have since been torn down to make room for different structures. 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 1888, the Kurhalle was inaugurated, followed in 1903 by the art nouveau hotel Miramar, which still stands on the promenade today.
In 1908, a building for spa applications was built (Kurmittelhaus). In 1948 came official recognition as a seaside spa town (Nordseeheilbad). The concrete highrises that today dominate the Westerland skyline (and are visible from many places on Sylt) were built in 1966-68 (Kurzentrum, Metropol). The major attraction at Westerland is the beach and the 6-kilometre-long promenade with its Musikmuschel music pavilion. During the season, 4,000 Strandkörbe are placed on the beach. Westerland today has 30 listed historic buildings and another 150 that are considered of special historic or architectural value. These include the Kurhaus from 1897, now housing the municipal administration and a casino.
