FORTE CULTURA Cluster: Elbe Fortresses (DE-CZ)

The fascination of fortress monuments on the Elbe river

Unique cultural heritage - full of life

From its source in the Czech Giant Mountains to its mouth in the North Sea near Cuxhaven, the Elbe river connects 1091 kilometres of magnificent cultural landscapes. Today, the Elbe touches UNESCO World Heritage Sites, nature parks, biosphere reserves and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, consisting of Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland. However, it was also a hard-fought and heavily fortified border river between principalities, kingdoms and republics for centuries.

There are 25 fortress monuments from the period up to the end of the 19th century along the Elbe, including the Saxon mountain fortress of Königstein, the Habsburg twin towns of Terezin and Josefov as fortified ideal towns, the Prussian large fortress of Magdeburg, the Saxon state fortress of Torgau and Mecklenburg's fortified ideal town and citadel of Dömitz.

Today, these monuments are modern spaces for experiences in a massive setting. They invite visitors to attractive cultural events, concerts, interactive exhibitions, multimedia productions, sporting events, adventure, play and fairy-tale events, historical battles, but also to remember and commemorate European history. Every year, thousands of tourists conquer these monuments, peacefully and enthusiastically. Discover the exciting "architectura militaris" on the Elbe with FORTE CULTURA®.

FORTE CULTURA stations on the Elbe river

Dömitz (DE)

Citadel and fortified ideal city: the only completely preserved Renaissance pentagonal citadel in northern Germany

Grauerort (DE)

Fortress: The artillery fort on the Elbe cycle path, Prussian fortress architecture of the 19th century

Josefov (CZ)

Fortified ideal city: pearl of fortress construction of the KuK monarchy

Königstein, Saxony (DE)

Fortress: One of the most beautiful and powerful mountain fortresses in Europe

Prague Vyšehrad (CZ)

Fortress: National cultural monument, Impressive history and legends high above the Vltava River

Terezín (CZ)

Fortified ideal city: masterpiece of fortress architecture, historic Elbe fortress and memorial to the Second World War

Torgau (DE)

The only large fortress system in Saxony still preserved in parts; fortified Hartenfels Castle