On 4-6 October 2006, the meeting of the second working group (WP2) of the transnational project INTERREG III B “Baltic Fort Route” (BFR) with the partners from Kaliningrad was held in the Imanuel Kant Russian State University in Kaliningrad.

The meeting was opened by the review on the City of Kaliningrad and fortification history given by Mr. Avenir Ovsianov. The forts of Kaliningrad were presented as a unique phenomenon due to the employment of different architectural styles in their construction (XVI-XIX centuries). The city is surrounded by a 15-fort-ring. The Royal Castle and the Amber Museum located in the bastion were also introduced.

 I.Kant University expects to attract as many specialists in different fields as possible for the investigation of the forts surrounding the City of Kaliningrad. The links between the nature, forts, as architectural and historic monuments, as well as possibilities of their adjustment for tourism are expected to be investigated here as in other military fortresses. Employees of I.Kant University are greatly interested in participating in the BFR Project.

Particular tasks accomplished by WP2 were also presented in Kaliningrad. Partners from Gdańsk and Dömitz presented restoration works, the Municipality of Kołobrzeg – reconstruction and inventory. Humboldt University undertook to collect all information on the nature investigations in forts. Kostrzyn made a presentation on the stages and problems of the “Berlin” Gates restoration. The Kaunas City Municipality presented the film “Kauno tvirtovė“ (eng. Kaunas Fortress), the Institute of Architecture and Construction at KUT and VMU Military History Centre – organisation of the student courses and the preliminary works for the International Scientific Conference to be held on 21-23 March 2007 in Kaunas.

The excursion to the city was organised for the project participants on 5 October. The main focus was on Fort V of Kaliningrad, which is currently private. The condition of the fort is rather critical – the walls are collapsing in places, therefore individual tourists are not admitted to the territory of the fort, they are led by experienced guides. However, the fort undergoes intensive management, ponds surrounding the fort are being cleaned, showpieces for the future exposition are being collected. All attempts are made to adjust it for tourist visits.

The meeting of the WP2 continued on 6 October. The short-term preliminary works necessary for the meeting of all BFR partners in Berlin were discussed.