Project Development

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The heads of ECCOFORT initiated some transnational cooperation projects to the fortress heritage in Europe. These projects help to finance activities with mutual benefits for the participating fortresses. It is possible to use the different European funding instruments, like the EU-INTERREG-Programmes for the cross border cooperation, the cooperation between the European development areas or the cooperation in whole Europe.

“Baltic Culture and Tourism Route Fortresses” – the first transnational tourism route of fortresses

The INTERREG-III-B-project “Baltic Culture and Tourism Route Fortresses” was a successful development project in the Baltic Sea Region containing different practical results for the protection, utilisation and management of fortress heritage. The first European culture route to the fortress heritage “Baltic Culture and Tourism Route Fortresses” was created in the course of this project. For the first time in Europe, fortresses from different countries branded a new tourist product on the cultural tourism market and started the marketing with the use of one common label.

14 fortresses in Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Kaliningrad/Russia are part of the “Baltic Fourt Route”.

BFR Kick-Off Meeting, Slubice (Poland) 2005		Dr. Andrzej Kunt, Major City Kostrzyn nad Odra, PL (re) and Hartmut Röder, Coordinator EU-Projekt BFR (li), at opening ceremony of redeveloped "Berlin Gate" in Oldtown of Kostrzyn, 2007

The heads of ECCOFORT organised the preparation of the project, the development of the project application, and managed the realisation and the foundation of permanent institutions. Lead partner was the city of Kostrzyn nad Odra / Poland.

Members of Baltic Fort Route

Fly to Fortresses of Baltic Fort Route with Google Earth: Fortresses_Baltic_Fort_Route.kmz

“Forte Cultura” - Initiation of the fortress cooperation in Central Europe

One of the present activities of ECCOFORT is the development of the cooperation network of Central European fortresses between Baltic Sea and Adria under the name “Forte Cultura”. The general aim is to promote the capitalising of cultural heritage fortresses with the use of transnational cooperation for a sustainable development and competitiveness of the cities and regions. It includes the development of innovative strategies for urban-rural integration and economic valuation of the fortified monuments and landscapes; the branding of fortified heritage with new cultural route “Forte Cultura” and the creation of a new quality of transnational cooperation, management forms and marketability.

More than 40 fortresses from 9 countries are interested in the participation of this project, like Krakow/Poland, Venice and Turin/Italy, Lviv/Ukraine, Salzburg/Austria, Ulm and Erfurt/Germany, Prague and Olomouc/Czech Republic.

It is planned to submit an application form to the next call of the Central European Programme in autumn 2011.