From 21 to 24 April 2026, FORTE CULTURA will gather in La Línea de la Concepción, Spanien, for its Annual Congress and General Assembly under the title:

“Von Cádiz nach Europa: Festungsanlagen und nachhaltiger Tourismus”

This year’s Congress will bring together fortress managers, heritage professionals, public authorities, researchers, heritage interpreters, cultural networks and local stakeholders for discussion, exchange and field visits dedicated to the future of fortified heritage in Europe. The Congress will offer a concrete opportunity to reflect on how fortresses can contribute today to sustainable tourism, cultural cooperation, education and territorial development.

La Línea de la Concepción is a particularly meaningful setting for this meeting. From the 18th-century Defence Line linked to Gibraltar to the 20th-century bunker system, the city presents a rich stratification of military heritage and a strong example of how local history can be connected to wider European narratives.

The Congress will open on Tuesday 21 April with the FORTE CULTURA General Assembly, preceded by a workshop on cluster development in Andalusia for regional stakeholders and by on-site visits in La Línea. These first activities already reflect one of the strategic priorities of FORTE CULTURA: linking networking, governance and local action.

The main Congress day, Wednesday 22 April, will focus on a series of themes that are central to the development of fortified heritage in Europe.

The first session, dedicated to policy frameworks for fortified heritage, will connect national strategies, heritage interpretation and the Council of Europe Cultural Routes perspective. Among the announced speakers are representatives of the Spanish Ministry of Culture, experts from Portugal, and specialists in heritage interpretation and sustainable development. FORTE CULTURA will also present its own vision through a keynote on cultural route and cluster strategy.

A particularly important moment of the day will be Session II: The Andalusia Cluster – From Strategy to Territorial Commitment. This session will present the Andalusian perspective within FORTE CULTURA’s cluster strategy and is expected to culminate in the signature of a Letter of Intent, marking the formal launch of the Andalusia Cluster. This is not only a symbolic step, but also a practical move towards stronger territorial cooperation around fortified heritage.

In the afternoon, the Congress will turn to the question of impact, sustainability and management models. Discussions will address how data can support better decisions, how tourism growth can be balanced with sustainability, and how fortifications can benefit from green policies, revitalisation strategies and innovative adaptive models. Additional contributions will show how fortresses can become places of learning, participation and environmental responsibility.

The programme also includes two days of excursions. On 23 April, participants will visit Tarifa and Cádiz, including key fortified sites such as Isla de las Palomas, Castillo de Guzmán el Bueno, Castillo de Santa Catalina und Castillo de San Sebastián. On 24 April, participants may choose an optional programme linked to Gibraltar or an alternative route via Málaga, with possible visits including the Alcazaba de Málaga und Fortress La Duquesa.

This Congress is addressed not only to FORTE CULTURA members, but to all those interested in the role that fortified heritage can play in contemporary Europe. It is designed as a space for exchange between local experience and European strategy, between site management and broader policy questions, and between heritage conservation and new forms of tourism and public engagement.

We warmly invite fortress professionals, public authorities, researchers, cultural operators and all interested stakeholders to join us in La Línea de la Concepción and contribute to this dialogue.

Registration is already open here:
https://www.forte-cultura.network/event/forte-cultura-congress-2026/

Those who may not be able to travel in person are also encouraged to follow the event page. Information on possible online access will be shared soon on the same registration page.

We look forward to meeting you in La Línea de la Concepción for a Congress that aims to strengthen cooperation, launch new initiatives and reaffirm the European value of fortified heritage.

Der Vorstand
FORTE CULTURA e.V.