Author(s): Kristina Saur / Ulm/Neu-Ulm Touristik GmbH

Front image: Tactile model at the right gorge angle (rechtes Kehleck) of Fort Oberer Kuhberg by Matthias Burger, Förderkreis Bundesfestung Ulm e.V.

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.

Since 1974, the Förderkreis Bundesfestung Ulm e.V. has been committed to the preservation, care and continuous development of Fort Oberer Kuhberg. In recent years, numerous additions have been made, such as interior fittings, a reconstructed fortress gun, several mortars and the large blockhouse project, which was opened in 2024. With the latest addition, the fortress museum now gains another highlight: a detailed 3D cast model of Work XXXII. The project was initiated by Matthias Burger, the first chairman of the association, who had already gained valuable experience during the realisation of the tactile city model in Neu-Ulm. On the basis of historical plans, he invested around 200 hours in CAD-based preparation of the model before various positive and negative moulds – some created with the help of 3D printing – were produced in a complex process. The aluminium model was finally cast by the Kollinger art foundry in Oberelchingen using a traditional sand-casting technique. The result was permanently installed at the right gorge angle of the fort and is now permanently accessible to the public.

What is particularly noteworthy is the accessible design: all parts of the fortress are provided with raised labels, additionally in Braille, so that visually impaired visitors can also gain a spatial understanding of the fortress architecture. At the inauguration on 18 October, the association welcomed around 40 guests, including representatives of the Baden-Württemberg Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired. In her speech, Mayor Iris Mann emphasised the importance of the model for the inclusive interpretation of the Federal Fortress and pointed out that it also offers walkers on the Hochsträß a low-threshold access to the history of the fort. The project costs – around €25,000 – were largely covered by donations, supplemented by grants from the citizens’ foundation and municipal funds. With the new tactile model, the association sends out a strong signal for inclusive cultural work and at the same time enriches the tourist interpretation of the Federal Fortress of Ulm: a visit to Fort Oberer Kuhberg thus becomes even more vivid, accessible and tangible for everyone.