Trsat Castle on May 8 and 9 becomes the stage of Night of Fortresses 2026, dedicated to the Frankopans, heritage and sustainability
Trsat Castle in Rijeka on May 8 and 9, 2026, once again joins the European event Night of Fortresses, this year under the international title Night of Fortresses Goes Green. The two-day program brings a combination of historical interpretation, exhibition content, literature, music, workshops and educational activities, and the central thematic backbone will be the legacy of the Frankopan family. The program is organized by the Rijeka Tourist Board, and admission to all announced events is free.
The event takes place at one of Rijeka’s most recognizable historical locations, Trsat Castle, a space that has for years functioned as an open stage for cultural, educational and tourist programs. Located on a hill above the city, the castle is an important part of Rijeka’s fortification and urban history, but also a place that contemporary programs increasingly turn into a living space where audiences encounter heritage. Due to the expected interest in the program, visitors coming from outside the city are advised to check
accommodation offers in Rijeka in time, especially if they plan to participate on both days of the event.
This year’s edition of Night of Fortresses at Trsat is especially focused on the Frankopans, one of the most important noble families in the history of the Croatian area. Their political, economic, military and cultural role marked centuries of medieval and early modern history, and their legacy connects numerous forts, towns and cultural sites. In this context, Trsat Castle is presented not only as an attractive city landmark, but also as a place where historical stories can be brought closer to a contemporary audience through exhibitions, storytelling, costumed programs and workshops.
Friday brings an exhibition of Frankopan portraits, a model of Dubovac, a literary meeting and a music program
The program begins on Friday, May 8, at 6 p.m. in the Peace of Heroes area, where the exhibition
Portraits of Frankopan Princesses and Princes will open. It is a traveling exhibition created in cooperation between the Ogulin Local History Museum and the association The Society of Guardians of Frankopan Heritage. The exhibition presents portraits of prominent members of the Frankopan family, but its importance is not only in the artistic depiction of historical figures. Through such a format, political relations, family ties, the area of activity and the symbolic power of a noble family that left a deep mark on cultural memory are brought closer to the audience.
Alongside the exhibition, visitors will also be able to view the traveling model of the Old Town of Dubovac. Dubovac is one of the recognizable fortified sites connected with Frankopan heritage, and the model allows the audience to observe up close the architectural logic of a medieval fort and its spatial layout. Such interpretive elements are especially important because they make history more tangible: the visitor does not remain only at the level of dates and names, but gains visual insight into the way forts were shaped, defended and used.
The literary part of the evening brings a meeting with author Tomislav Beronić, who will present the trilogy
Stories about the Frankopans. According to the organizer’s announcement, the presentation will be performed through a costumed appearance, thereby connecting literary content with elements of stage interpretation. Such an approach fits the concept of Night of Fortresses because it does not treat heritage as static material closed in archives, but as a story that can be told, performed and brought closer to different generations.
The first day of the program will end with a music evening featuring the acoustic duo E 'n P. In this way, Friday at Trsat Castle is shaped as a cultural evening on several levels: from the exhibition presentation of the Frankopans, through the model of a historical fort and a literary meeting, to a relaxed musical finale. For visitors who want to extend their stay in the city or connect the event with a tour of other Rijeka locations, a practical choice may be
accommodation near Trsat Castle and the center of Rijeka.
The Saturday program is intended for families, the curious and lovers of living history
The second day of the event, Saturday, May 9, is focused on an interactive heritage experience. The program begins at 11 a.m. with content entitled
Living Museum, a costumed and interactive guided walk through Trsat Castle. Such a format allows visitors to observe the historical space not only as an architectural backdrop, but as a place of events, characters and stories. Costumed interpretation is especially suitable for younger audiences, but also for all visitors who experience historical content more easily through narration, movement and direct contact with guides.
From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the workshop
Frankopan Inkwell will be held. Participants will be able to learn about making gall, or iron-gall ink, try their hand at medieval writing and become familiar with the Glagolitic script. Gall ink was one of the important materials of written culture for centuries, and its production opens an interesting view into the everyday life of scribes, offices and educated strata of medieval society. In such a program, history is presented not only through major political events, but also through materials, handwriting, literacy and skills that enabled the transmission of knowledge.
The Glagolitic component of the workshop additionally broadens the educational framework of the program. The Glagolitic script is one of the key symbols of Croatian written heritage, and its inclusion in a workshop connected with the Frankopans and forts gives the program a clear cultural and identity dimension. At the same time, a dry lecture is avoided: participants can try writing themselves, learn the shapes of letters and understand how important literacy, materials and handwriting were in periods before the mass availability of print and digital communications.
- Friday, May 8 at 6 p.m.: opening of the exhibition Portraits of Frankopan Princesses and Princes in the Peace of Heroes area.
- Friday, May 8: viewing of the traveling model of the Old Town of Dubovac.
- Friday, May 8: literary meeting with Tomislav Beronić and presentation of the trilogy Stories about the Frankopans through a costumed appearance.
- Friday, May 8: music evening with the acoustic duo E 'n P.
- Saturday, May 9 at 11 a.m.: Living Museum, a costumed interactive walk through Trsat Castle.
- Saturday, May 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: workshop Frankopan Inkwell with the making of gall ink, medieval writing and introduction to the Glagolitic script.
Night of Fortresses increasingly strongly connects cultural heritage and sustainable tourism
Night of Fortresses 2026 is not conceived only as a series of individual cultural events, but as part of a wider European initiative that connects forts, castles, museums and other historical spaces around the idea of sustainability and social responsibility. This year’s edition, entitled Night of Fortresses Goes Green, takes place on May 8 and 9, 2026, and represents the fifth edition of the event. According to published information from the network organizers, programs included in the event should have a sustainable component, whether through education, participatory activities, ecological practices or inclusion of the local community.
Such a concept is especially important for heritage sites that are at the same time tourist attractions and sensitive cultural resources. Forts and castles attract visitors because of their architecture, views, history and atmosphere, but their long-term survival depends on responsible management, maintenance and interpretation. Sustainable tourism in that sense does not mean only reducing negative impact on the environment, but also carefully shaping content that respects the local space, includes the community and encourages understanding of the cultural value of the site.
The event Night of Fortresses Goes Green is part of the GIFTSnet project, or Network for Green and Inclusive Fortified Tourism Solutions. The project began on September 15, 2024, and should last until March 14, 2027. The project holder is the Public Institution Fortress of Culture Šibenik, and partners include cities and institutions from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. The published value of the project amounts to 2,244,442.80 euros, of which 85 percent is co-financed from the Interreg IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021 – 2027 program.
In practice, such projects seek to connect the renewal and interpretation of heritage with sustainable economic and social development. Cultural tourism is no longer viewed only through the number of visitors, but also through the quality of the experience, accessibility of content, inclusiveness, ecological responsibility and the ability of a site to remain a living space in the long term. Trsat Castle, as a Rijeka historical symbol and place of public programs, fits into that direction because through Night of Fortresses it turns into an open educational space, and not only into a location for sightseeing.
The Frankopans as a theme connecting history, literature and space
The emphasis on the Frankopans gives the Rijeka program clear thematic strength. Instead of reducing the event to a general tour of the fortress, the program raises the question of how noble families, forts, literacy, art and local identity are interconnected. Through the centuries, the Frankopans were present in political and cultural processes that shaped a large part of the Croatian area, and their legacy is still visible today through a series of sites, traditions, historical records and cultural projects.
The exhibition of portraits of princesses and princes, the model of Dubovac and the literary meeting with an author who deals with Frankopan stories create a program unit in which history is interpreted from several perspectives. The portraits introduce people and family lines, the model opens the architectural and spatial context, and the literary performance enables a narrative entry into the past. The Saturday workshop then brings that story down to the level of practice: how people wrote, what they wrote with and how heritage can be learned through one’s own participation.
Such an approach is especially important in popularizing history. Professional heritage research remains the foundation of every serious interpretation, but public programs must find a way to translate verified data into an experience understandable to a broad audience. Night of Fortresses at Trsat Castle therefore combines professional, artistic and participatory elements. A visitor may come because of the exhibition, workshop, music or family program, but through each of these entry points encounters the same basic theme: cultural heritage is not a closed past, but living material that can be read anew.
Trsat Castle as Rijeka’s space of encounter between history and contemporary programs
Trsat Castle is one of the oldest fortification points in the Croatian Littoral area, and from its plateau there is a view toward Rijeka’s Old Town and the wider city area. In Rijeka’s tourist and cultural image it has multiple roles: it is a historical monument, a viewpoint, a place of public events and a recognizable city symbol. Precisely for this reason, programs such as Night of Fortresses have additional value because they give the site content that goes beyond a one-time sightseeing visit.
For Rijeka, this type of event is also important in the wider sense of developing cultural tourism. The program takes place outside the main summer season, which can contribute to more even visitation and strengthening interest in cultural content in the spring period. Visitors who come to the event can connect it with tours of Trsat, the city center, Rijeka museums, promenades and other cultural points. For those planning a weekend stay, available
accommodation offers in Rijeka can make it easier to organize arrival for both days of the program.
It is also important that the program takes place without an entrance fee. Free access to cultural events increases the accessibility of content and enables participation by a wider circle of visitors. In the context of an event that emphasizes inclusiveness, sustainability and social responsibility, this fact is especially significant. Heritage, especially when it concerns public historical spaces, gains its full meaning only when it is not viewed as a closed and separate resource, but as a shared space of learning, encounter and public culture.
The European network of forts spreads the idea of responsible heritage management
In recent years, Night of Fortresses has developed as an event that goes beyond local frameworks. According to data from the organizers of the European initiative, the 2025 edition included 195 events in ten countries, and the program for 2026 continues to expand the network of heritage sites. Forts, castles, museums and other historical spaces join the event and through their own programs interpret heritage and connect it with themes of sustainability, the environment and social inclusion.
This year’s edition is additionally connected with the FORTIC project, financed from the Interreg Italy – Croatia 2021 – 2027 program, through which the initiative is also expanding toward Italian partners. The event is also supported by international associations dealing with fortified heritage, including EFFORTS and FORTE CULTURA. In this way, Night of Fortresses becomes part of a wider European conversation about how historical fortifications can retain cultural value, gain a new public function and at the same time develop responsibly toward space and community.
The program at Trsat Castle fits into that concept with concrete content. Instead of an abstract message about preserving heritage, visitors are offered an exhibition, a model, a literary meeting, music, a costumed walk and a writing workshop. Precisely such programs show how big themes can be conveyed through clear, accessible and well-designed activities. Heritage is preserved not only by restoring walls, but also by creating an audience that understands why those walls matter.
The two-day Night of Fortresses 2026 at Trsat Castle thus connects local Rijeka history, the Frankopan legacy and the European framework of sustainable cultural heritage management. The program on May 8 and 9 offers content for different interests and generations, from historical portraits and literary interpretation to the Glagolitic workshop and the Living Museum. At a time when cultural sites are increasingly viewed as places of active public life, Trsat Castle confirms through this program the role of a space where the past is not only viewed, but also experienced again.
Sources:- Visit Rijeka – announcement of the Night of Fortresses 2026 program at Trsat Castle, with the event schedule, the Frankopan theme and information about free admission (link)- Fortress of Culture Šibenik – official announcement about Night of Fortresses Goes Green 2026, the fifth edition of the event, the sustainable component of the program and the GIFTSnet project (link)- City of Šibenik – announcement about applications for Night of Fortresses Goes Green 2026, the European framework of the event, the GIFTSnet project, financing and international partnerships (link)- Visit Rijeka / Croatia.hr – description of Trsat Castle as one of the oldest fortifications in the Croatian Littoral and an important Rijeka cultural and historical site (link)
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