Šibenik is part of a European cultural route connecting some of the continent’s most important fortresses, citadels, fortified towns and defence systems. On the FORTE CULTURA European Cultural Route of Fortified Heritage, the Šibenik fortresses are presented alongside destinations such as Magdeburg, Komárno and Peschiera del Garda.
Fortress of Culture Šibenik is a member of FORTE CULTURA, a European network dedicated to the preservation, sustainable use and modern interpretation of fortified heritage. The network brings together cultural institutions, cities, museums, tourism organisations, universities, associations and heritage experts from across Europe.
Through its membership, Fortress of Culture Šibenik regularly connects with other organisations working in the field of fortified heritage. This creates opportunities to exchange knowledge and good practices, take part in conferences and working meetings, develop partnerships and prepare joint projects.
It also strengthens the international visibility of Šibenik as a city that has restored its fortresses and given them a new cultural, educational and social role.
The FORTE CULTURA tourism portal presents St. Michael’s Fortress, Barone Fortress and St. John’s Fortress, as well as the other venues managed by Fortress of Culture Šibenik: the Arsen House of Art and the Croatian Coral Centre Zlarin.
Šibenik also has a dedicated chapter in the official FORTE CULTURA catalogue, which presents fortified heritage destinations to visitors and tourism professionals across Europe.
The cooperation has also resulted in new content for visitors. Fortress of Culture Šibenik has a certified FORTE CULTURA guide, trained according to the standards of the European cultural route.
Visitors can also book a specialised FORTE CULTURA route through Šibenik’s fortified heritage. The route connects the Šibenik fortresses and tells the story of the development of the city’s defence system, as well as the new cultural and tourism role of these historic sites.
Guided tours are available in Croatian and English. Advance booking is required at info@tvrdjava-kulture.hr.
An important moment in this cooperation was the international conference Fortress Tourism and Guide, held from 29 to 31 March 2023 at St. John’s Fortress.
The conference was jointly organised by Fortress of Culture Šibenik and FORTE CULTURA and brought together around 60 participants from 14 European countries.
The programme focused on sustainable heritage management, cultural tourism, professional guiding and stronger cooperation among fortresses in the Adriatic region. Šibenik became a meeting place for site managers, experts and organisations facing similar challenges in the preservation, interpretation and use of fortified heritage.
During the conference, the 2023 edition of European Fortress Summer was officially opened at St. Michael’s Fortress.
European Fortress Summer is a shared calendar of cultural, tourism and educational events held at fortified heritage sites across Europe during the spring and summer months.
Night of Fortresses has become one of the most important events within this programme. The international event was created and is coordinated by Fortress of Culture Šibenik.
By joining European Fortress Summer, Night of Fortresses became part of the joint European promotion of fortified heritage events, with the support of the FORTE CULTURA and EFFORTS networks.
Since its first edition in 2022, Night of Fortresses has grown into one of the largest and most recognisable joint events within the European fortified heritage community.
By connecting dozens of fortresses and cities from several European countries, the event is more than a cultural programme for visitors. It is also a platform for long-term cooperation among organisations that manage fortified heritage.
The cooperation between Fortress of Culture Šibenik and FORTE CULTURA therefore goes beyond Šibenik’s presence on the European tourism map.
It provides access to professional contacts, international promotion, knowledge, good practices and new opportunities for joint projects. At the same time, it supports the preservation and modern use of fortified heritage for visitors and local communities.
More information:
www.forte-cultura.com
Šibenik on the FORTE CULTURA European Cultural Route of Fortified Heritage:
https://forte-cultura.com/en/sibenik-hr/
