Keitum

Keitum
Ortsteil of Gemeinde Sylt
18th-century Friesenhaus in Keitum
Keitum
Coordinates: 54°36′N 8°22′E / 54.600°N 8.367°E / 54.600; 8.367Coordinates: 54°36′N 8°22′E / 54.600°N 8.367°E / 54.600; 8.367
Country	Germany
State	Schleswig-Holstein
District	Nordfriesland
Town	Gemeinde Sylt
Government
• Mayor	Nikolas Häckel "Gemeinde Sylt"
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Dialling codes	04651
Vehicle registration	NF
Website	www.gemeinde-sylt.de

Keitum (Danish: Kejtum, Frisian: Kairem) is a village on the North Sea island of Sylt in the district of Nordfriesland in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Today, it is an Ortsteil of the Gemeinde Sylt.

It is unclear from what the name Keitum (Kairem in Frisian, Kejtum in Danish) is derived. One theory posits that it used to refer to the "home of Kei" or "home of Keit". Alternatively, it could be based on "Heidum" (auf der Heide or "on the heath").

"Keytum" was first mentioned in 1462. Until the end of the 19th century, Keitum was the most important town on the island of Sylt. Since 1612 it was the location of Sylt's largest mill. In 1695, the village had 78 houses. A school house was built in 1763. In 1820, the harbour was expanded. Although keeping the navigation channel open was a continuing problem, Keitum harbour was the main connection between Sylt and the mainland until around 1867. After 1859, the harbour silted up and the ferry traffic shifted to Munkmarsch. In 1860, Keitum had passed Morsum as the island's most populous village (with 785 inhabitants). In the 1890s, the tourist business moved increasingly to Westerland, sidelining the eastern villages. Although Keitum is located on the railway which connected Westerland with Niebüll via the Hindenburgdamm in 1927, most visitors disembarked only at the line's terminus, at Westerland.

Keitum is located on the Wadden Sea side of the island. The village fronts on the sea at what is called the Grünes Kliff () (green cliff), a mostly vegetation-covered (hence green) escarpment. It stretches along the coast for around 3 kilometres from the eastern edge of the village to the church of St. Severin, north of the village.

In 2013, Keitum had a permanent population of around 880. Another 900 people have second homes in the village.

Like elsewhere on Sylt, tourism is a major industry. Since 1950, the village has held the status of Luftkurort (climatic spa). Keitum is known for its large number of traditional Uthland-Frisian houses, many of them over 200 years old, and its tree-lined avenues. Although the original elm trees died in the 1990s, they have been replaced by chestnut and linden trees. In addition, many craftspeople (like gold smiths, weavers and potters) are based in Keitum.