The FORTE CULTURA network is behind the cultural route. Its members consist of the cities, institutions and associations along the cultural route, supported by experts and academics from many disciplines.

FORTE CULTURA brings together fortifications, fortified towns, museums, municipalities, cultural institutions, universities, associations, tourism organisations, experts and partners who are committed to the preservation and sustainable development of fortified cultural heritage.

The network promotes cooperation between its members through congresses, online meetings, working groups, cluster formation, communication measures, project development and knowledge exchange.

The work is carried out by FORTE CULTURA e. V. a non-profit organisation based in Germany. The association forms the legal and organisational framework for the route and supports its development through its Executive Board, the Scientific Advisory Board and the Secretariat.

The network helps members to act together rather than alone. It strengthens visibility, promotes cooperation, supports tourism and educational activities and promotes a common European narrative on fortified cultural heritage.

The FORTE CULTURA network makes individual fortifications part of a wider European cultural route.

All FORTE CULTURA members pursue the goal of supporting the diverse architectural and cultural heritage of the fortress monuments, promoting their transformation into sites of culture and tourism and sensitising a broad public to them.

FORTE CULTURA e. V. was founded on 24 November 2014 in Kostrzyn nad Odrą (PL) under the name „European Fortress Tourism and Fortress Marketing Network e. V.“. The network and the cultural route are the result of a European Union funding project of the same name in the CENTRAL EUROPE programme, in which 13 partners from 8 countries were involved.

FORTE CULTURA e. V. is a member of EFFORTS Europe

EFFORTS (European Federation of Fortified Sites) is a European network for fortresses and fortress organisations based in Brussels. It supports and promotes the cultural heritage of fortified monuments and carries out EU lobbying work for the European fortified heritage.