The Night of Fortresses Goes Green event once again this year connects cultural heritage, sustainable development, community engagement, and international cooperation through a joint programme of numerous European sites.
As the initiator and main coordinator, Fortress of Culture Šibenik continues to develop the event as a platform that connects cultural institutions, cities, and partners from different countries, with the aim of strengthening sustainable heritage management and the active involvement of local communities.
This year’s fifth edition of the international Night of Fortresses 2026 once again confirms that fortification heritage plays an important role in connecting European cities, local communities, and visitors. The event will bring together around 70 sites from 11 European countries, continuing to grow as a shared platform for the interpretation, preservation, and promotion of cultural heritage.
At a press conference held at Barone Fortress, Gorana Barišić Bačelić, Director of the Fortress of Culture Šibenik Public Institution, reminded attendees that the Night of Fortresses event was launched five years ago with the aim of introducing visitors to sustainable tourism, encouraging responsible behaviour, and enabling active participation in environmental protection.
“The special feature of this year’s event is the programme ‘Fortresses Tear Down Walls’, created in cooperation with numerous associations of persons with disabilities. Since last year, we have emphasized that the Night of Fortresses – Goes Green event has a so‑called green character, but this does not refer only to the ecological component. Comprehensive sustainability also highlights the social dimension, which is above all inclusivity,” Barišić Bačelić emphasized.
Therefore, on the first day of the event, inclusive tours will be organised as part of the ‘Fortresses Tear Down Walls’ programme, in cooperation with the Association of the Blind of Šibenik-Knin County, the Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing of Šibenik-Knin County, the Aurora Association, and the Šibenik Centre for Social Inclusion. Đurđa Vrljević Šarić, Head of the Department for International Cooperation and Projects at the Fortress of Culture Šibenik Public Institution, stressed that there is a significant number of fellow citizens in our society who face various limitations and special needs.
“In Croatia, about 17 percent of the population belongs to this group, which means that if we do not think about inclusion and accessibility, we are neglecting a large number of our fellow citizens,” added Đurđa Vrljević Šarić, inviting the public to join the inclusive tours. These will be followed by a round table on the accessibility of cultural heritage and a fashion show by Šibenik designer Karmen Herceg, whose creations will be presented by persons with disabilities.
In addition to inclusivity, a significant step forward in this year’s Night of Fortresses event is the partnership with the Public Institution Priroda. Zrinka Lise from the Department of Tourism and Visitor Reception stated that the institution enthusiastically undertook the organisation of numerous activities that will take place over two days at St. Nicholas’ Fortress and at the St. Anthony Channel Visitor Centre and its promenade. She emphasized the importance of not only creating content, but also understanding the real needs of all visitors who face certain difficulties and limitations.
Deputy Mayor Danijel Mileta stressed that events such as the Night of Fortresses further confirm Šibenik’s direction as a city that successfully valorises and presents its cultural heritage, adding that the city administration will therefore continue to support the projects of the Tvrđava kulture Šibenik Public Institution in the future.
This year’s Night of Fortresses programme across 11 European countries includes a total of around 220 different events, ranging from expert guided tours, workshops, lectures, and exhibitions to musical, sports, gastronomic, and medieval programmes.
Such scope and diversity make it possible to bring heritage closer to different generations, local communities, families, children, young people, senior visitors, and people with diverse interests and needs. Through this openness of the programme, the inclusive character of the event is built, allowing each site to shape content according to its audience, space, and community.
A special place in this year’s programme is given to educational and participatory activities, particularly workshops, playrooms, and expert tours. Alongside these, Night of Fortresses 2026 further strengthens its green and sustainable dimension through 14 environmental clean-up and greening actions, connecting cultural heritage with care for the surrounding environment.
Building on last year’s edition, presented under the name Night of Fortresses Goes Green, the event continues to promote sustainable tourism, inclusivity, and a more responsible approach to natural and cultural heritage.
The full programme is available on the official event website: nightoffortresses.org
Let us recall that Night of Fortresses Goes Green is part of two EU projects implemented by the Fortress of Culture Šibenik Public Institution:
the GIFTSnet – Network for Green and Inclusive Fortified Tourism Solutions project, financed through the Interreg IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027 programme, and the FORTIC – From remains Of the war to the aRchiTecture of peace in the cross-border area of Italy–Croatia project, financed through Interreg Italy–Croatia 2021–2027.
This publication was produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Tvrđava kulture Šibenik Public Institution and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
