Historical fortified monuments, fortress systems and fortified relicts are to be found in all central European regions. This unique cultural heritage, partially awarded with protection status, represents the special identity and attractiveness of central Europe’s cities and regions. However, it also faces a general problem of inadequate maintenance and utilisation. Transnational cooperation can help the regions, in this very context, to capitalise on their cultural heritage for urban, cultural and social development, promote the tourism business and conceptually prepare investments in related tourism and monument protection.The FORTE CULTURA project aims to boost new quality into the particular segment of cultural heritage by promotion of the fortified heritage and knowledge exchange about the monuments‘ protection and modern utilisation. Achievements: In the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme project FORTE CULTURA, 12 partners and 7 Associated Institutions from 8 countries develop new ways, instruments and solutions to capitalise the cultural heritage of fortification as contribution to the sustainable development and competitiveness of cities and regions. The fortified cultural heritage represents the special identity and attractiveness of Central Europe. It indicates the European history, as well as important historical events and fallen empires. During the second working phase the quality and intensity of the transnational cooperation consolidated and a good progress in the realisation of the planned results was generated. The development of the culture route "Forte Cultura" of fortified monuments started with the elaboration process of a general concept. A first frame was specified as result of diverse discussion and consultation between some project partners and experts. The expertise of the European Institute of Culture Routes Luxembourg allows to introduce useful practical experiences, concerning questions of successful culture route structures, effective management and in the development of innovative marketing instruments for a wide spread of information.In the contact between the European INTERREG-IV-C-project CERTESS and FORTE CULTURA the experience exchange, important impulses and learning process for culture route development were generated. For the culture route an interesting Logo with identifying elements of the special defense architecture of fortification was created. As general model, a first draft of journey to the Fortified Ideal Cities between Bohemia (CZ) and Lombardy (IT) was created. On this basis the next thematic journeys should developed, reflecting the different types of fortification and the regional peculiarities. First ideas and draft of concepts for fortress marketing and product placement at the tourist markets were prepared. During the visitand contacts on the International Tourism Fair in Berlin, the high interest of tour operators, fortress cities, fortification and regions in whole Europe were registered. As first potential members of the culture route Forte Cultura, the fortresses Königstein (D) and Kufstein (A) decided to work intensive in the project. With the transnational status analysis of practised management models for fortification gained new knowledge and expertise's of fortress management. The description of best practices enables the qualification of fortress management as contribution for capitalising of the fortified heritage. The transnational analysis of known traditional technologies for fortress construction compares the needs of technologies for conservation, protection and nature management of fortified heritage. The analysis has been confirmed that the project Forte Cultura should bring a great contribution to the keeping and dissemination of traditional knowledge and expertises for fortresses.