FORTE CULTURA Network

For the preservation and utilisation
of the cultural heritage of fortresses

Network initiatives

FORTE CULTURA initiates Europe-wide joint actions on various topics related to the common cultural heritage of fortified monuments. Some current initiatives are presented below. For further information, please contact the network office.

As a European cultural route, FORTE CULTURA helps to preserve the important cultural heritage of fortress monuments and make it accessible to everyone. The fortresses of many eras, once built as military defences, are now places of peace and culture for all people. They tell the story of Europe and serve as a reminder of the devastating consequences of countless wars.

EFFORTS - FORTE CULTURA, the largest fortress network in Europe, launched a joint initiative in Terezín in April 2022 to support fortress sites in Ukraine.

We have symbolically declared our previously passive network member Mezhybizh Fortress a full member and will take over the annual contributions for an indefinite period. As a result of the upgrade, Mezhybizh Fortress has become a first official station of the European Cultural Route FORTE CULTURA in Ukraine and has since been integrated into our brand instruments and brand communication.

We also network Ukrainian fortress sites with fortresses from the rest of Europe and beyond. In regular online workshops with participants from many countries, support measures were discussed and concrete cooperation agreements were concluded, e.g. between the fortresses of Šibenik (HR) and Pidhirtsi (UA) or between fortresses of the Westwall (DE) and the Arpad Line (UA). Further co-operations are in preparation.

Please contact our network office if you would like to support our initiatives or help with our fundraising campaign. Thank you very much.

Fundraising campaign: Protecting cultural heritage in Ukraine from the consequences of war

We support our member fortress Medzhybizh with urgently needed donations in kind to protect cultural assets from the consequences of war.

We have launched a fundraising campaign for this purpose. Please click on the green button to find out more and support us with your donation.

Contributions to the topic

As a European cultural route, FORTE CULTURA helps to preserve the important cultural heritage of the fortress monuments and accessible to all people.

Together with Aktion Mensch, FORTE CULTURA regularly initiates projects to make the fortress landscape in Germany more inclusive and barrier-free, e.g. in the Aktion Mensch programme "#1 Barrier less":

  • Germersheim Fortress: Tour for blind and visually impaired people with audio files and information in Braille,
  • Feste Kaiser Franz Koblenz: Audio circular route in easy language,
  • Fort Gorgast: German-Polish signposting and circular route in easy language.

At international conferences, we share information from our projects with our partner fortresses across Europe, raising awareness of inclusion in fortress tourism and supporting new projects. Please get in touch with our network office if you would like to support our initiatives.

Contributions on the topic of inclusion

To mark the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, selected fortress monuments presented their experiences for the first time in an international joint event - "European Fortress Summer". The motto was celebrated at 28 events in 18 fortresses in 9 countries:

"What once separated peoples now brings them together. For a lively cultural heritage fortified monuments in a solidary, democratic and peaceful Europe. We are in!"

Since then, the European Fortress Summer has been a permanent fixture in the event landscape of our member fortresses. Register your summer festival events and become part of our Europe-wide initiative, powered by FORTE CULTURA and EFFORTS.

>>> to the European Fortress Summer on our FORTE CULTURA tourism portal

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