There was a "Valorisation of traditional knowledge and expertise for protection of fortified heritage", held as a part of the WP 6 a transnational workshop on the 27 and 28th of May 2014 at the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Slovenia - Restoration Center (RESCEN) in Ljubljana.

Architects, civil engineers and monument protectors from Poland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia met together to discuss craft techniques in the renovation of fortifications. The speakers were encountered with case studies from their own countries.

Read more: WP 6 – Workshop „Traditional knowledge" in Ljubljana

On 9 and 10 April 2014 in Josefov took place the third European Conference of Fortified Ideal Cities in the frame of FORTE CULTURA project. The conference was attended by 31 experts and representatives from ten European countries Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, Poland, Romania, The Netherlands and Ukraine.

Experts and politicians were going to discuss common and typical problems for this type of Fortified Ideal Cities, like protection and utilisation. Solutions for modernisation and better living conditions in those historic cities have been discussed also. Common interest was the development of tourism as economic factor. Therefore it was pleasant to welcome on the conference five Mayors and Vice-Mayors from different fortress towns.

Read more: One the right way – European Fortified Ideal Cities in the frame of FORTE CULTURA

During the annual ITB in Berlin the new project FORTE CULTURA caused a considerable stir. Not only the Director of the European Cultural Routes Institute of Luxembourg, Penelope Denu, has been enthusiastic when she accept with great pleasure the first newsletter of the project, but also the Scientific Coordinator and co-developer of the project, Dr.-Ing. Hans-Rudolf Neumann, ECCOFORT reg.ass. Berlin.

Overall, extensive contacts with European fortress cities and individual fortresses were made at this year's fair, which could be useful as potential members of FORTE CULTURA. Especially undercapitalized fortresses with great tourist potential for development expressed a desire to get knowing FORTE CULTURA in Verona during the next Network meeting on the 11th of June 2014.

On the 10th of January 2014 there was a contract signed with the company COCOMO to conduct the realisation of "Kostrzyn fortress virtual model". The town's online site visitors will be able to use the virtual reconstruction application dedicated to one of most wonderful treasures of Lubuskie district, the Fortress City. Kostrzyn city and its general condition in 1920 – 1925 are to serve as inspiration and main basis while conducting the reconstruction.

Project partners of WP 6 met with other guests on 5th November 2013 in the Starhemberg Palace in Vienna to an open discussion about the applicability of the European heritage label for the area of historic fortifications. The meeting was held under direction of the Austrian Federal Ministry for education, arts and culture and the Austrian State Archives / Dept. War Archive. The discussion was supported by two units of speakers one from the Austrian Ministry and one from the Secretariat of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of the Education in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Spontaneous proposals were made on the subject of "Turkish Siege of Vienna" and the "Iron Curtain". Here, still impressive remnants are available which could demonstrate European history and do satisfy the requirements for the award of the EHL. The following day, the meeting was rounded off by a visit in the Austrian State Archives.

Otherwise inaccessible: Dr. Rill and Dr. Wenning / War Archive explain to the participants of the meeting a siege plan of Vienna from the time of the Turkish wars.

At the conclusion of the study tour to Slovenia and Palmanova in Italy, there was a welcome reception in the city hall of Palmanova. The Mayor, Mr Francesco Martines, expressed his hope that a network such as FORTE CULTURA may help to alleviate the enormous restoration problems associated with the maintenance of a fortress. Prior to this, the Head of the Department of Culture, Mrs Gabriella del Frate, accompanied the group in parts of the moat and several museums which are connected with the history of fortress and city. At the same day, visitors could participate in the impressive event "A.D. 1615. Palma alle Armi".

A third European conference of "Fortified Ideal Cities" is planned on 9th and 10th April 2014 in Jaromer/Josefov in Czech Republic in the frame of the EU-funding project "FORTE CULTURA".

Left on the photo: the reception for members of the Study Tour „Slovenia/Palmanova" in the City Hall of Palmanova - left of the Mayor, Mr Francesco Martines, his deputy Mayor, Mrs Adriana Danielis, and the head of the culture department, Mrs Gabriella del Frate.

During an official tour of Slovenia that took place between August 31st and September 8th 2013 we were able to visit, in some cases for the very first time, many fortified places, castles, and other hidden fortified objects that for a majority of ordinary visitors of Slovenia still remain a secret.

To a culture tourist Slovenia provides not only strongholds and other reminders for historic events and wars (most famous and impressive are the Isonzo lines near the Italian border), but also an unforgettable and untouched landscapes, architectural and technical monuments, excellent restaurants and rich cultural programmes. Participants of the tour came from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Owners of several fortified monuments asked for a membership in FORTE CULTURA.

Photo on the left shows some participants of the excursion group in front of a fortified castle Turjak with their travel guide Aleksander Potocnik. The tour was planned and organised by Ad Pirum Institute / Logatec.

During the International Conference „Interpretation of Built Heritage“ at 30^th September 2013 of Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board in Chandigarh Dr.-Ing. arch. Hans-Rudolf Neumann, Vice Chairman and Scientific Coordinator of ECCOFORT reg. ass., was invited as speaker. His topic was: “Global Benchmark: ‘Introduction to FORTE CULTURA’ - a key case study”.

On the picture we see left of Dr. Neumann: the scientific promotor of the conference, Dr. arch. Dilmeet Grewal [The Thought Studio / Chandigarh - “Analysis and Interpretation of Heritage Monuments of Punjab”], Alonzo C. Addison [San Francisco - “Interpretive Methods & Their Value: Emerging Technologies”] and arch. Tom Addyman [Edinburgh - “Analysis of Heritage and Case Study of Gobindgarh Fort, Amritsar”].

During an event of the University of Pula as member of the South East European EU funding project ADRIFORT on 15th and 16th September 2013 in Pula / Croatia, ICOMOS / ICOFORT expert and co-developer of the Central European EU funding project FORTE CULTURA Dr.-Ing. Hans-Rudolf Neumann was invited as speaker. He held a lecture about Pula's fortification system and the possibility for Pula to be on UNESCO World Heritage List. Dr. Neumann expressed on this occasion his hope for further co-operation between ADRIFORT and FORTE CULTURA.

Foto (from left to right): Dr.-Ing. Hans-Rudolf Neumann [FORTE CULTURA], Prof. Dr. Ivan Jurković, mr.sc. Barbara Unković and Sanja Biberić, Juraj Dobrila [University of Pula], Mr. Diego Paganini [Veneto Region], Mrs. Iva Pamić [City of Pula], Mrs. Klara Udovičić [City of Pula], Prof. Andrea Bonifacio [Marco Polo System G.E.I.E., Venice].

In the focus of the 2nd network conference of the project Forte Cultura, held in the fortress Hohensalzburg on the 25th June 2013, there was the development progress of culture route Forte Cultura from the Baltic to the Adriatic Sea being discussed.

The Project Partners reflexed upon introducing the Cultural Heritage of Central Europe onto the market. The responsible project partner for the culture route development and marketing, ECCOFORT reg.ass. Berlin, offered achieved status of development and key points for the new tourist brand Forte Cultura. 29 representatives of the Central European fortified heritage from 8 European countries exchanged the experiences and opinions.

All the invited representatives of fortresses engaged themselves in analysing of the Cultural Route Forte Cultura creation together with the issue of introducing the Cultural Heritage of Central Europe onto the market. Mr Maximilian Brunner hosted the meeting and presented its participants with the Fortress Hohensalzburg as an integral part of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage so important for Cultural Touristic Sector.

Read more: 2nd Network Conference [Salzburg] - Discussion and analysis of the Culture Route Forte Cultura key...