Neumann, Hans-Rudolf Malta - Gozo. Fortfikatorischer Exkursionsbericht einer Studienreise vom 14.09. bis 21.09.2019

The sunny island of Malta is always worth a visit, not only for recreation-seeking fortress friends, but also for art and history-interested tourists from all over the world. Due to its historical development, Malta, with its neighboring islands of Gozo and Comino, has a rich cultural heritage that is exceptional in Europe. Below this, the fortifications stand out - beginning with the bastionary fortifications of the Order of St. John and the coastal fortifications erected by the English in the 19th century. Malta and Gozo are rightly considered to be Europe's largest fortification open-air museum, with the capital and fortified ideal city of La Valletta listed on the World Heritage list since 1980. The information tour, which was part of the European cultural route "Forte Cultura" as a study and pilot tour, focused for a week on the results of the restoration work on selected fortifications carried out between 2006 and 2016. In addition, possibilities of further tourism marketing of historically important fortifications were investigated. The study tour comes to the conclusion that the existing fortress potential contains possibilities for further developments. Despite great financial support from the European Union, this potential continues to require careful maintenance and implementation.

The information tour, which was designated as a study and pilot tour as part of the European cultural route "Forte Cultura", spent a week focussing on the results of the restoration work carried out on selected fortifications between 2006 and 2016. In addition, possibilities for further tourism marketing, especially of the culturally and historically significant fortifications, were examined.