Following two highly successful editions that connected and promoted programs at 45 fortification sites across six European countries, the organizers are thrilled to announce the third edition of the Night of Fortresses, scheduled for Friday, May 10, 2024!
The Night of Fortresses, with its diverse program, continues to enrich the cultural and tourist experiences in the pre-season, fostering collaboration among cities and organizations managing fortified heritage sites. All fortified locations in Europe and other heritage institutions are invited to join the celebration this year, organizing various cultural, artistic, educational, and entertaining programs for visitors, including exhibitions, lectures, workshops, music performances, film screenings, dance shows, plays, guided tours, open-house events, and similar activities.
The event aims to enhance the cultural and tourist offerings in European cities with fortified heritage, raising awareness about the potential and importance of cultural heritage valorization as a catalyst for cultural tourism development. Soon, applications for participation in the 2024 Night of Fortresses will be open to cultural stakeholders, local and regional government entities, tourist boards, and other institutions managing fortified sites. Interested parties can submit their applications through the event's website at https://nightoffortresses.org/.
The quality and significance of Night of Fortresses as a cross-border cultural event linking fortified locations across Europe have been acknowledged by international associations EFFORTS and FORTE CULTURA. Night of Fortresses is promoted at the European level as part of the European Fortress Summer event!
"With excellent organization and an outstanding program, the international Night of Fortresses event successfully connects and promotes the EFFORTS organization's motto “From stronghold to welcoming arms”. Fortresses, forts, and bastioned heritage—everything that once separated people and nations—are now reunited through the Night of Fortresses event. In just two years, Night of Fortresses has become an integral part of the European Fortress Summer Event, attracting numerous participants from different countries who collectively promote fortified heritage," stated Rafaël Deroo, Secretary General of the EFFORTS (European Federation of Fortified Sites).
Night of Fortresses, a cultural and tourist event held at fortified monuments of cultural heritage, premiered in 2022 in Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina as a result of the collaborative European project FORTITUDE. This year, partners from the City of Trebinje and the Municipality of Ulcinj have joined the organizers—Fortress of Culture Šibenik, the City of Karlovac, the Municipality of Bar, and the City of Banja Luka.
