The Baltic Sea has fallen silent. Where waves usually crash, the cold has silenced the sea.

Our photo gallery shows impressive images of ice in Sassnitz on Rügen: metre-high floes, bizarrely frozen rocks, and a lighthouse enveloped in ice like a cloak.

The cause is a period of frost that has persisted over Central Europe for days. Icy air from Northern and Eastern Europe has mainly affected the north and east of Germany and parts of Poland, causing continuous frost there.

This has led to the formation of huge areas of ice in sheltered coastal areas on the southern Baltic Sea.

As impressive as this natural spectacle is, the weather conditions pose challenges, especially for shipping. Icebreakers are in operation in coastal waters to enable supply trips. Ferry connections have been restricted or temporarily suspended, and some islands are only accessible to a limited extent.