Rantum

Rantum (Sölring Frisian: Raantem) is a village and a former municipality on the island of Sylt in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Since 1 January 2009, it has been an Ortsteil (part) of the municipality Sylt.

Etymology

The name is frequently associated with the marine goddess Rán (Rantum = Rán's place).

It is, however, more likely that the name derives from the old spelling of Raantem, i.e. "settlement at the edge".

Geography

Rantum today is located at the narrowest part of the island with a width of only 600 metres.

East of the village are the Rantum-Inge, an ample area of salt marshes and the Wadden Sea. To the west, beyond the dunes, the beach faces the open North Sea.

History

The small village of Rantum has a colourful history. The settlement was destroyed on multiple occasions by storm surges or was buried by sand drift.

The oldest record of the name is found in a nautical chart from 1142, which is today displayed in Copenhagen. On the chart, the Rantum church Westerseekirche is noted as a daymark. It was called St. Peter. Since at the time only major churches would be consecrated to St. Peter, it is likely that Rantum was an influential town around 1100. There is, however, no proof for this thesis.