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.
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