Representatives of Fortress of Culture Šibenik participated last week in FORTMED – Fortifications of the Mediterranean Coast, the largest international scientific conference in Europe dedicated to fortification heritage. This year, from 19 to 21 February, the host was the Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”.
More than 250 participants from around 15 countries presented work on fortification heritage across seven thematic areas: from current historical and archival research to examinations of theoretical concepts of fortification construction, as well as digital content and cultural heritage management.
The Director of the Public Institution Fortress of Culture Šibenik, Gorana Barišić Bačelić, and the Head of the Department for International Cooperation and Projects, Đurđa Vrljević Šarić, presented their work “The Night of Fortresses: A transnational model for sustainable and inclusive cultural heritage management.” Their participation and the promotion of the Night of Fortresses at the international conference is one of the activities of the GIFTSnet project. The paper was awarded as the best in the category “Culture and Management of Cultural Heritage.”
Josip Pavić and Andrija Nakić, from the Department for Heritage Research and Interpretation, gave a presentation titled “The Three Walls Problem: The Unearthing and Protection of Structures beneath St. Michael’s Fortress in Šibenik, Croatia” in the category “Research on Built Heritage.” The presentation highlighted the discovery of three nearly parallel walls at the foot of St. Michael’s Fortress, provided historical contextualization of the newly discovered structures, and underscored the need for proper documentation and a vision for the future arrangement of the researched area.
Karla Papeš, also from the Department for Heritage Research and Interpretation, presented the results of her research “Dove si trovava la chiesa nella Fortezza di San Michele a Sebenico?” in the category “Historical and Documentary Research.” The work identifies the chronological phases, locations, and architectural modifications of sacred structures at St. Michael’s Fortress, and (re)opens the discussion on the existence and purpose of sacral spaces within one of the most significant fortifications on the eastern Adriatic coast.
The participation of Šibenik’s researchers at the conference has traditionally been supported by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia.
The project GIFTSnet – Network for Green and Inclusive Fortified Tourism Solutions is funded through the Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027 programme.
The project runs for 30 months, from 15 September 2024 to 14 March 2027, with a total budget of €2,244,442.80. Alongside Fortress of Culture Šibenik as the lead partner, the project involves the City of Karlovac, the City of Banja Luka, the Museum of Herzegovina in Trebinje, the Municipality of Bar, and the Municipality of Ulcinj.
The project contributes to sustainable and inclusive cultural tourism development through investments in seven cultural sites in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, as well as through the development of inclusive tourist offers and strengthening the capacities of stakeholders in sustainable cultural tourism.
This publication was produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Public Institution Fortress of Culture Šibenik and do not in any way reflect the views of the European Union.
