The FORTE CULTURA Congress 2026 in La Línea de la Concepción (ES) was a fantastic event. Under the theme ‘From Cádiz to Europe: Fortifications and Sustainable Tourism’, 72 fortification and tourism experts from 17 countries came together. We have had four exciting days, packed with information, personal exchanges and fascinating excursions.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our hosts from La Línea de la Concepción and our sponsors from Diputacíon de Cádiz for their financial and personal support in organising and staging the FORTE CULTURA Annual Congress 2026.

FORTE CULTURA Congreso 2026

The FORTE CULTURA Congress 2026 in La Línea de la Concepción aimed to connect local realities with a broader European vision. By focusing on networks, cross-border cooperation, and heritage interpretation, the Congress will reaffirm fortified heritage as a strategic asset for sustainable tourism, community engagement, and European cohesion. From La Línea to Europe, fortifications become not only witnesses of the past, but active contributors to a more inclusive, informed, and sustainable future.

14 speakers provided in-depth insights into a wide range of aspects of the fortress heritage.

pictures Juanma Pastrana

FORTE CULTURA Cluster “Fortified Heritage of Andalusia”

A key objective of the 2026 FORTE CULTURA Congress was to launch a FORTE CULTURA cluster dedicated to Andalusia’s fortified heritage, with a view to strengthening the position of our long-standing member, La Línea de la Concepción, within the FORTE CULTURA network and establishing sustainable fort-themed tours and tourism offerings in the Campo de Gibraltar region and Andalusia. To this end, a separate workshop was held on 21 April with local stakeholders and tourism officials, the results of which were subsequently presented at the congress.

Letter of Intent for the Development of the Andalusia Cluster of Fortified Heritage signed

During a public ceremony held as part of the conference, a memorandum of understanding to participate in the new FORTE CULTURA Cluster “Andalusia” was signed by Mercedes Atanet Armida (Tourism Concilor of La Línea de la Concepción) and Filippo Cailotto (FORTE CULTURA President), as well as from eight institutions and strategic partners, among others from Algeciras, Tarifa, Granada, Gibraltar or Los Barrio.

The signatories share the view that fortified heritage in Andalusia should be recognised not only as a set of individual monuments, but also as a common cultural asset capable of generating wider benefits through cooperation.

If you would also like to join the FORTE CULTURA cluster “Fortified Heritage of Andalusia”, please do not hesitate to contact us. Further information is available from our network office.

FORTE CULTURA General Meeting 2026

The FORTE CULTURA network currently comprises around 70 active members across 18 countries, and the Annual General Meeting is correspondingly informative and comprehensive. The five-hour hybrid meeting covered, among other things, the reports from the President, the Treasurer, the Executive Board and the Scientific Committee for the 2025 financial year. In addition, Tomas Jirouch (Josefov, CZ) presented as board member the highly readable FORTE CULTURA Publishing Service GENERAL REPORT 2025.

A key focus of the General Assembly was the ongoing certification process as a Council of Europe Cultural Route and the associated requirements for members regarding the visibility and promotion of FORTE CULTURA at their locations. The members discussed and unanimously approved the proposal for the new FORTE CULTURA strategy, including the Community & Communication Guidelines, which had previously been presented by the Executive Board.

Maria Sobur (Tarifa, ES) from the app provider TripLeap appeared as a guest speaker and new FORTE CULTURA partner to present to members the possibilities offered by the app for child-friendly city tour games and treasure hunts. With smart.guide y reveel.guide, further FORTE CULTURA partners in the online tools sector were introduced.

From the FORTE CULTURA clusters, Jiri Hofman (Terezín and Prague, CZ) reported on the Elbe and Bohemia clusters, whilst Egidius Bagdonas (Kaunas Fortress Park, LT) spoke about the FORT Union project with Gizycko. Grzegorz Basinski (Srebrna Gora, PL) provided an update on the Mountain Fortresses project.

Oresta Remeshylo-Rybchynska (Lviv Polytechnic National University, UA) gave a detailed overview of research activities on fortress heritage in Ukraine, as well as ongoing activities with FORTE CULTURA and EFFORTS Europe.

Finally, Daniel Cilia (Din l-Art Ħelwa, Malta) gave an impressive introduction of the fortified heritage in responsibility of his institution, which is a new FORTE CULTURA member and station of the European Cultural Route in 2026.

Presentations for Download

• Fortress Research Ukraine 2025-2026, Oresta Remeshylo-Rybchynska (Lviv Polytechnic National University, UA)
• TripLeap: Rethinking Heritage Interpretation for the Next Generation of Fortress Visitors, Maria Sobur (ES)
• Daniel Cilia (Din l-Art Ħelwa, Malta)
• FORT Union Project, Egidius Bagdonas (Kaunas Fortress Park, LT)
• FORTE CULTURA Servicio de Publicaciones INFORME GENERAL 2025, Tomas Jirouch (Josefov, CZ)
• President’s Report 2025, Filippo Cailotto (IT)

Supporting programme

Andalusia, Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar boast a unique heritage of fortifications spanning all eras, which made choosing suitable destinations for our excursions all the more difficult. We would like to thank all the guides and organisations for the fascinating insights they provided into their fortified monuments.

Pictures: Arnika Haury, Dirk Röder, Emilia Pawnuk, Artjoms Mahlins

City & Heritage Tour La Línea de la Concepcíon (ES)

The tour offered a comprehensive insight into the layered fortification landscape of the area. It began at Plaza de la Constitución, home to the Isthmus Museum, which is housed in the historic commandant’s building from 1863 and provides valuable insight into the transformation of the area from a military garrison into a civilian town.

From there, we proceeded through the town centre, stopping at several bunker sites that form part of the extensive 20th-century defensive system. The tour stopped at a camouflaged anti-tank bunker designed to blend into its surroundings through architectural deception. Hidden for decades, it stands as a striking example of defensive design. The route then led towards the eastern coastline, where we were granted exclusive access to an otherwise restricted place. Here, we visited bunker 157.

A key highlight of the visit was the presentation of ongoing restoration works in the area of Santa Barbara fort. We were able not only to observe the reconstruction process but also to receive expert commentary on conservation approaches and challenges associated with preserving such complex heritage site.

One of the most striking aspects of the visit was the visible overlap of different historical layers of fortification. The remains of 18th-century defensive systems could be observed in direct spatial continuity with 20th-century bunkers, demonstrating how the same strategic defensive line was reused and adapted across centuries. At Santa Barbara fort, 20th-century bunkers stand directly on 18th-century fortifications! The visit concluded in a currently closed section of the Reina Sofia park. Within this large green space, several bunkers are preserved, and we were granted exclusive access to one significant example in its western part.

Overall, the tour provided insightful exploration of the transformation of fortification systems in La Línea de la Concepción, highlighting its importance within the broader European defensive heritage.

Tarifa, Isla de Tarifa

The first excursion after the conference took around 45 participants to Tarifa. After a brief welcome at the tourist information centre, we walked to Isla de Tarifa and its fortress. The path to the fortress island led across a causeway that forms the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. From there, one also has a wonderful view of ‘Punta de Tarifa’, the southernmost point of mainland Europe, as well as across the Strait of Gibraltar to Africa.

Finally, the gates of the military zone – which had been disused since 1998 – opened, and we were allowed to wander around the grounds, which feature fortifications dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Throughout, we were constantly watched over by aggressive seagulls, which breed in their hundreds on the fortress island and effectively defend what is now a national park.

Tarifa & Castillo de Guzmán el Bueno

On our return from the fortress island, we were able to visit the Castillo de Guzmán el Bueno in the harbour of Tarifa, a 10th-century fortress built to protect against pirates. The castle has undergone various phases of expansion dating back to the 19th century. From the outer areas, there is a beautiful view of the harbour of Tarifa, the Strait of Gibraltar and Isla de Tarifa. Inside, there is an exhibition well worth seeing, featuring interactive elements.

Afterwards, we met up for lunch at the Residencia Logística Militar “Guzmán el Bueno”.

Cádiz

In Cádiz, we first visited the Puerta de Tierra on the inner ring of the city walls. In the Torreón de las Puertas de Tierra, situated at the city gate flanked by two bastions, we were shown a short film about the history of Cádiz’s fortifications. We then drove to the Castillo de Santa Catalina, a 17th-century fortress in the north-east of the city. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we were unable to visit the Castillo de San Sebastián; even the wonderful view from the Castillo de Santa Catalina of the fort lying offshore in the sea was of no help. All the more reason to strengthen our partnership with Cádiz and return there.

Gibraltar, Northern Defences

On Friday morning, a small remaining group of 14 participants from no fewer than eight countries set off for Gibraltar. On foot and in persistent rain, we crossed the European border and passed through Gibraltar Airport, finally arriving at Grand Casemates Square to meet the architect Carl Viagas, who guided us through the areas of the Northern Defences that are not open to the public. With great enthusiasm, Carl told us the history of the defensive complex and described his dedicated work to preserve and make the fortress usable. The extremely fascinating tour provided many insights into the possibilities and constraints of fortress restoration and reinforced the realisation that a great deal can be achieved with active partners and a shared goal. We are certainly looking forward to continued cooperation within FORTE CULTURA and EFFORTS.

Press Releases

Your Gibraltar TV, 25. April 2026

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