FORTE CULTURA is excited to announce a new partnership with TripLeap, a digital platform dedicated to transforming cultural heritage sites into interactive playgrounds for families. Following our successful collaborations with Reveel and SmartGuide, TripLeap brings a specialized focus on “meaningful gamification” to the European Cultural Route of Fortified Monuments.

Today, we have a more history-oriented article of one of the most significant Habsbourg fortresses ever created – Petrovaradin. Author: Nenad Šeguljev, an independent researcher from Novi Sad, Serbia, specializing […]

FORTE CULTURA is pleased to welcome SmartGuide as a new digital partner for the European Cultural Route of Fortified Monuments. SmartGuide is a mobile-first platform that helps destinations, museums, tourist attractions and heritage sites turn every visitor’s smartphone into a personal digital guide.

With the Fredericia Museum, FORTE CULTURA has gained a new partner for its cultural route and network. The museum represents the ‘fortified ideal city’ Fredericia in Denmark and strengthens the cluster of ‘ideal cities’, which now comprises six historic urban complexes.

FORTE CULTURA is preparing its application for certification as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. This is an important step for the future of our network and for […]

The EFFORTS Congress 2026 in Diest, Belgium, brought together stakeholders, experts, and partner organisations engaged in the preservation and sustainable development of fortified heritage across Europe. The programme focused on […]

Author: Oresta Remeshylo-Rybchynska; This article addressed the theme of sustainability and its growing significance in contemporary spatial, cultural, and architectural discourse.

Following the 2026 FORTE CULTURA Congress in La Línea de la Concepción (ES), Gibraltar Heritage Trust and Gibraltar Tourism Board have announced their membership in FORTE CULTURA.

As part of its communication and marketing strategy, FORTE CULTURA constantly strives to increase the reach and visibility of its member sites and to support the day-to-day work of fortress staff. Digital information systems…

From 2 to 5 June 2026, FORTE CULTURA will take part in the 13th Training Academy of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, taking place in Pécs, Hungary, […]

On 28–29 April, FORTE CULTURA took part in the training seminar for candidate Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe certification at the European Institute of Cultural Routes (EICR) in […]

The intensive week-long Erasmus+ Spring School programme, which brought together 45 students and their professors from Technische Universität Graz, Università degli Studi di Cagliari and Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, along with Erasmus students from…

More than 50 participants from 10 countries gathered in the fortified town of Naarden at the initiative of Stichting Monumentenbezit, including representatives from the International Fortress Council, the Fortress Study […]

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 […]

The Ulm Federal Fortress is one of Europe’s most significant fortification systems, but many visitors only appreciate its scale, history and hidden structures through a guided tour. Each year, Ulm/Neu-Ulm Touristik GmbH and the Förderkreis Bundesfestung Ulm e.V. offer family-friendly tours as well as exclusive visits to rarely accessible outer forts.

This week, the FORTE CULTURA Conference took place in La Línea de la Concepción, a location closely tied to the fortified landscape surrounding Gibraltar. Before turning to the key outcomes of the conference, lets revisit the local history with its fortifications—sites that offer a step directly into the layered history of this remarkable frontier.

Over the past three years, the FORTE CULTURA Publishing Service has continued to grow. Today, we present a statistical overview of online content performance for all the years since 2012. This helps us better understand how interest in fortress heritage has evolved and how the platform contributes to promoting the goals of the FORTE CULTURA Network itself. Dear colleagues, please take a seat and enjoy the read!

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

The decision has been taken. On March 16, 2026, FORTE CULTURA officially notified the Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe of […]

A successful Italian-German seminar on Cold War bunkers took place in Brandenburg on 21 March 2026 in Strausberg. In the postal bunker of the former GDR, participants and speakers took […]

The Degree Programme in History at the University of Helsinki and the Ehrensvärd Society have jointly published an online exhibition about the 20th century at Suomenlinna titled Sveaborgs 1900-tal – vägen till världsarv (“Sveaborg in the 20th Century – The Road to World Heritage”).

Fortresses Without Borders II is a cross-border tourism development project supported by the ERDF under the Interreg Czech Republic–Poland programme (2021–2027).

In October 2025, a new tactile model was inaugurated at Fort Oberer Kuhberg in Ulm, making the historic fortress complex accessible in a barrier-free way for the first time. The detailed 3D cast model of Work XXXII offers visitors – and blind or visually impaired people in particular – a new, tactile perspective on the Federal Fortress of Ulm.

This year, FORTE CULTURA once again took advantage of the world’s largest tourism fair in Berlin to intensify exchanges with fortress partners from all over the world. This allowed us to talk to various members at their stands about …

The University Network for Cultural Routes Studies invites scholars and practitioners to submit papers for its 2nd International Conference, taking place 12–13 November 2026 in Lugano, Switzerland. The conference builds […]

The European Commission has officially launched a new edition of the NEB Boost for Small Municipalities, a targeted initiative under the umbrella of the European Commission’s New European Bauhaus (NEB). […]

The PEACE MUSEUM Bridge at Remagen is located in the towers on the left bank of the Rhine of a fortified bridge, the former Ludendorff Bridge. The railway bridge near […]

The Ulm Federal Fortress can be experienced not only through guided tours but also independently: two excellently developed routes – the 12.5-kilometre Ulm/Neu-Ulm Fortifications Route and the panorama hiking trail in Ulm, the “Höhenweg Ulm” – offer varied opportunities to explore the fortress landscape, Glacis parks and natural surroundings of Ulm step by step.

At the end of January, FORTE CULTURA participated in a workshop in Vilnius on establishing a new Baltic Fortress Cluster. The workshop was conducted by EFFORTS Europe and funded as part of the FORT UNION project between Kaunas (LT) and Giżycko (PL), …

Beneath the fortified city Terezín (CZ) lies one of Europe’s most sophisticated historical defensive systems. Recent research has provided a detailed mapping of this underground network, revealing its complexity and […]

This article offers suggestions on how to collaborate with universities.  These suggestions are intended for managers and curators of fortified heritage sites, including castles, fortified towns, lines of fortifications, fortified […]

In 2026, Josefov proudly celebrates a remarkable milestone: 100 years since the first official guided tours of its underground corridors began.

A new year is a good moment to pause and ask where we are going as a network. For FORTE CULTURA, 2026 will be important: we are preparing our application […]

The cross-border interreg project FORT‑UNION is carried out by a coalition of partners: Municipality of Giżycko, Kaunas City Municipal Administration, Kaunas Fortress Park, Army Museum in Białystok, Boyen Fortress in Giżycko, Varėna District Municipality and associated organizations: Biebrza National Park, and Varėna’s Entrepreneurship Education Centre (among others). 

The Czech-German Future Fund supports joint projects between Czech and German partners, with the aim of strengthening good neighbourly relations, mutual understanding, and cooperation. The fund finances a wide range […]

After two years of work, the restoration of the pipe organ in the Church of the Assumption in Josefov has been successfully completed. The project, launched in July 2024, was carried out under a contract with the renowned organ builder Ivan Bok from Krnov. All restoration works were undertaken with full respect for the church’s status as a protected cultural monument since 1958 and under the expert supervision of diocesan organologist Václav Uhlíř and…

Sharing Tools, Strategies and Good Practices On 16 December 2025, FORTE CULTURA held its annual Online Member Meeting (OMM), bringing together fortress managers, researchers and partners from across Europe to […]

In April 2026, a new call will be launched under the URBACT IV programme, with possilbe involvment of fortress-related topics and members of FORTE CULTURA and EFFORTS Europe.

The first cross-border EFFORTS traveling network congress was organized from 2 to 4 December 2025. The theme of the congress was ‘Inspiring across borders’. On a three-day travelling congress, 50 EFFORTS-members met each other in the EFFORTS member cities of Oudenaarde (BE), Arras (FR) and Bergen op Zoom (NL).

Our network is built on connection — across borders, across disciplines, and across experiences. The Online Member Meeting (OMM) is where those connections come alive.

FORTE CULTURA participated in Spain’s leading congress on fortifications, presenting its vision for sustainable cultural tourism and building new partnerships with national heritage organizations.

Group photo of the tour participants in front of the bastioned castle in Marvão Photo: H.-R. Neumann, 25 September 2025 Military architecture is an important part of Portugal’s architectural and […]

We are happy to inform you that National Institute for Protection of Monuments of Culture and Museum – Ohrid (FORTE CULTURA member) is the winner of the prestigious Živa Award 2025 for the “Best Slavic Heritage Site”.

The historical dynamics of the Alicante region between the 11th and 15th centuries resulted in the proliferation of castles and towers in the mountains.

FORTE CULTURA is proud to announce a new partnership with Reveel, a digital platform designed to transform the visitor experience at cultural and heritage sites. After a fruitful meeting with the Reveel founders, Sebastian Mellblom and Robin Kanerva, and our network members, we are excited to invite all FORTE CULTURA members to explore this innovative solution.

The Dracula Journey is one of the most successful history-oriented events organized in the fortified ideal city Josefov (CZ). The event takes place in early November and spans two evenings, capturing the spooky and eerie emotions associated with this time of year.

From September 15 to 16, 2025, the National Park Brijuni in Croatia served as the backdrop for the international scientific conference titled “Fortified Architecture for the Culture of Peace – European Best Practice in Fortified Heritage Management”.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Fortress Study Group (FSG), an international symposium with excursions was held in Portsmouth, UK. FORTE CULTURA was represented by Natasa Urosevic, Olha Tikhonova […]

The Citadel of Alessandria was designed by Ignazio Bertola on behalf of Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy after the Treaty of Utrecht. Built between 1728 and 1732 by King Charles […]

We made it! On June 21, 2025, our exhibition “Königstein: The Safest Fortress of Germany” was solemnly opened in the City Wall Museum of Nanjing – and we were present there with a small delegation.

Belfort was fortified from 1687 according to Vauban’s plans and subsequently extended. The fortress played a particularly important role in the 103-day siege of Belfort in 1870/71, one of the […]

At the end of May, Polish and German experts on the fortress heritage of the 20th century met in the tranquil town of Walcz. A two-day conference with excursions shed […]

In the sunlit hills of Benalmádena, Spain, a curious silhouette rises—not from the Middle Ages, but from the twilight of the 20th century. Castillo de Colomares, built between 1987 and […]

In the enchanting fortified ideal city of Josefov, history isn’t just remembered—it comes alive. On July 12–13, 2024, Josefov Alive (Oživlý Josefov) turned time back to the golden age of […]

by Dirk Röder Small Projects Fund (KPF) 2021-2027The development and establishment of the “History Trail War Events 1945” was funded as part of the project “Remembering Together – 80 Years […]

The FORTMED 2025 Congress, dedicated to the fortification heritage, convened in Caserta (Italy) with significant academic participation: 411 attendees and 197 papers were presented.

Cultural heritage and creativity for sustainable and inclusive tourism in fortified monuments; 26-29 March 2025, Fort di Bard (IT). Europe is facing major challenges in terms of sustainability, identity and social engagement…

Dirk Röder (left) congratulates Filippo Cailotto on his new position as FORTE CULTURA President The FORTE CULTURA General Assembly 2025 took place on 27 March 2025 at the Forte di […]

Illustrated with the Fort St. Elmo case study by John Ebejer There are various approaches to the conservation of built heritage and adaptive reuse is one of them.  Adaptive reuse […]

The NEB offers fortress managers, policy makers and cultural organisations a unique opportunity to combine the preservation of cultural heritage with

by Filippo M. Cailotto, The NEB offers fortress managers, policy makers and cultural organisations a unique opportunity to combine the preservation of cultural heritage with …

by Dirk Röder (title photo: XEvansGambitx) Partners and experts on the history of the end of the Second World War met in Krakow (PL) on the occasion of the Liberation […]

In February 2025, Giovanmaria Flocchini, President of the mountain municipality of Valle Sabbia, signed up to the FORTE CULTURA network. The aim is to further develop and valorise the mountain fortress for tourism…

With the Department of Tourism Management of the Faculty of Economics, Management and Accounting at the University of Malta, FORTE CULTURA has a strong partner…

Creative Tourism is an innovative approach that goes beyond passive sightseeing and promotes new perspectives through immersive and participatory experiences.

Around the world in three days – International Tourism Fair Berlin: The ITB is one of the largest tourism fairs in the world and a good opportunity for FORTE CULTURA to […]

The Soratte bunker is an underground bunker complex in the Italian municipality of Sant’Oreste, about 50 kilometres north of Rome. It was built between 1937 and 1943 in the Monte […]

European Cultural Heritage Experts to Gather in Italy to Explore Sustainable and Inclusive Tourism for Fortified Sites Forte di Bard, one of Europe’s most prestigious fortified heritage sites, will host […]

Daugavpils Fortress (Dünaburg, Dwinsk) is located on the banks of the Daugava River in southeastern Latvia. It was built in 1810-1878 and, as a fortified ideal city with an area […]

Author: Tomáš Jirouch The fortified cities of Terezín and Josefov, with their rich historical and architectural heritage, are among the most significant cultural landmarks in the Czech Republic. Over the […]

The Suomenlinna sea fortress is located about 15 minutes by sea from Helsinki. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an outstanding example of European military architecture of its […]

Büdingen tour guides train for the FORTE CULTURA certificate (Photo: Arnika Haury) On the initiative of the Büdingen tourist information centre under the direction of Arnika Haury, around 20 tour […]

Fort Prusy (Fort Prussia) is part of the Nysa Fortress in the Opole Voivodeship. The Nysa fortress was a key element of the Prussian defence system on the former border […]

The Fortress Study Group CIO (FSG) was founded in the UK in 1975 and is a registered charity dedicated to the study and preservation of fortifications from the artillery era […]

ERASMUS+ Projekt „Nachhaltige Befestigungsanlagen als Lernzentrum für Senioren“ der Kulturfestung Festung Šibenik (Kroatien/Šibenik), gemeinsam mit Asociatia Mioritics (Rumänien/Constanța) und Viešoji įstaiga Kauno tvirtovės parkas (Litauen/Kaunas). Das Projekt Sustain4Seniors Hub wird […]

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of FORTE CULTURA, 60 participants from 9 countries came together at the founding location Kostrzyn nad Odrą (PL) to celebrate the anniversary. The two-and-a-half-day congress programme consisted of two conference parts and exciting excursions to the fortress heritage in the German-Polish Oder-Warthe region.

“FORTE CULTURA – Discover the cultural heritage of fortress monuments in the Euroregion PRO EUROPA VIADRINA (DE-PL)” – a joint project of City of Kostrzyn nad Odrą, FORTE CULTURA e.V. […]

The EFFORTS Annual Congress 2024 took place as part of the FORTIC (Interreg Italy – Croatia) project at St John’s Fortress in Šibenik (HR).

HERITAGE OF ROUTES, NETWORKS AND CONNECTIONS Workshop FORTIFICATION ARCHITECTURE FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE: VALORIZATION OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN FORTIFICATIONS THROUGH CULTURAL ROUTES AND TRANSNATIONAL NETWORKS der Universität Pula, der TU […]

The unknown fortress – “Stelling van Amsterdam” (by Hans-Rudolf Neumann); From 28 September to 5 October 2024, a pilot and study tour took place with seven international experts from Germany, Switzerland, […]

The Franzensfeste fortress has guarded the Brenner Pass on the Italian side since 1838. With its 65,000 square metres of building space, it is the largest historical complex in South […]

Unfortunately, the current flood situation in Eastern Europe has also left its mark on the fortress monuments there. In Ostrava in the Czech Republic, the River Oder burst its banks […]

On a tour of the mid-south of the USA, Dirk Röder sought contact with various fortress sites and museums of military history. In Vicksburg Mississippi the Vicksburg National Military Park […]

Cover photo: The board and advisory board of the Friends’ Association present the new leaflet The Förderverein Bayerische Landesfestung Ingolstadt e.V. has published a large leaflet on Fort Prinz Karl. […]

A travelogue by Friedrich Wein Kehl – Strasbourg – Nancy – Toul – Reims – Versailles and finally: Normandy. The names and number of interesting places with fortress monuments and […]

FORTE CULTURA donates a notebook to the partner fortress Medzhybizh in the Ukraine.

Kiev Fortress is a monumental complex of former Russian fortresses from the 17th-19th centuries. The complex is one of the largest preserved fortresses in Europe. Visitors can see a unique […]

The impressive Suomenlinna Fortress hosted this year’s board meeting of EFFORTS (European Federation of Fortfied Sites). In addition to a hybrid meeting to coordinate current and future activities of the […]

by Friedrich Wein Numerous participants at the Interfest Annual General Meeting took the opportunity to visit another fortress city. In the week following the Annual General Meeting, the 5th International […]

by Friedrich Wein “The study group for international fortification, military and protective construction INTERFEST … has set itself the task of researching and documenting fortifications worldwide under historical, technical, political […]

by Dr. Hans-Rudolf Neumann From 6 to 12 April 2024, a German-Swiss-Dutch specialist group led by Dr Hans-Rudolf Neumann visited both the Turkish and Greek parts of the separate fortress […]

Cultural heritage fortified monuments –a building block in the history of the DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT in Europe 8 – 10 April 2024, Strasbourg (FR) The history of democracy is the history […]

The FORTE CULTURA General Assembly 2024 took place on 8 April 2024 in Strasbourg in the building of the Collectivité européenne d’Alsace (Alsace European Community), with a view of parts […]

For the second time after a long Corona break, the International Tourism Fair – ITB – 2024 took place again at the exhibition centre under the radio tower in Berlin […]

(Photo: ©Hagai Agmon Snir) The Bard fortress is one of the masterpieces of fortress architecture from the first half of the 19th century. After Napoleon had completely destroyed a previous […]

Join the third edition of the Night of Fortresses – online applications are open until mid-April! The Night of Fortresses, an event that connects and promotes programs at fortification locations […]

The fortified ideal town of Sabbioneta was built between 1554-1571 and was one of the first of its kind in Europe. It was also the first autonomous town foundation of […]

23 participants from 6 countries informed each other about current projects and activities in their fortress locations at the first FORTE CULTURA Online Member Meeting (OMM) at the end of […]