FORTMED 2020. INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR MEDITERRANEAN FORTIFICATIONS
Granada, October 01-03, 2020
FORTMED 2020_Granada is the fifth edition of the International Conference on Fortifications of
the Mediterranean Coast. The Conference will take place on March 26th, 27th and 28th 2020 in
Granada, at the Laboratory of Archaeology and Architecture of the City (Laboratorio de Arqueología y Arquitectura de la Ciudad, LAAC) at the School of Arabic Studies (Escuela de Estudios
Árabes, EEA), research centre that belongs to the Spanish National Research Council (Consejo
Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC).
The first four editions of the Conference were held: on October 15th, 16th and 17th 2015 at the
Universitary Institute of Heritage Restoration of the Universitat Politècnica de València; on November
10th, 11th and 12th 2016 at the Architecture Department of Università degli Studi di Firenze; on October 26th, 27th and 28th 2017 at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de la Universitat de
Alacant and on October 18th, 19th and 20th 2018 at the Department of Architecture and Design of
Politecnico di Torino, at the Valentino Castle.
The main objective of the Conference is to exchange and share knowledge, valorisation, management
and exploitation of Culture and defensive Heritage that was developed on the Mediterranean coast,
taking also into account the phenomena that took place overseas. The dissemination of the results is
the crucial resource to achieve the objectives.
The Conference has an interdisciplinary aim where architects, engineers, archaeologists, historians, geographers, cartographers, heritage managers, tourism experts, specialists in restorationconservation and promotion of heritage will participate. The idea is to provide more inclusive, real and
up to date views, leading us to the highest point of the investigations on this matter in the twenty-first
century.
The theme is centred on the fortifications of the Mediterranean (Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Tunisia,
Cipro, Greece, Albania, Algeria and Morocco) from the Antiquity to the present day, although it
does not exclude other Mediterranean countries and other fortifications from this era built overseas
(Portugal, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Panama…).
Topic 1. Historical research. Historical Cartography. Archivist. Treatises. Construction history. Biographies (Duke of Maqueda, Antonelli, Vespasiano Gonzaga, Acuña, Hayreddin Barbarossa Escrivá,
los Fratin, Cermeño…).
Topic 2. Theoretical concepts. Military Engineering. Defence to “modern” way. New concepts. New
ways to defend the kingdoms. Creating shields. The artillery. Utopian projects.
Topic 3. Research on Built Heritage. Architectural Heritage. Study, knowledge, dissemination.
Castles, towers and fortifications. Intervention and Conservation of Architectural Heritage.
Topic 4. Characterization of geomaterials. Mineral-petrographic, geochemical and physical
analysis. Study of the alteration processes. Historical and conservative archaeometric investigations.
Operative proposals for restoration. Relationships between physical-technical properties of construction materials and their use: differences and similarities in the Mediterranean.
Topic 5. Digital Heritage. Digital survey, from 3D laser scanner to photogrammetry. Advanced 3D
modeling techniques. Advances in graphical representation. Digital reconstructions. Virtual reality
and augmented reality.
Topic 6. Culture and Management. Interpretation and adding value. Fortified heritage and citizen
identity. Management of castles, towers and fortresses. Participatory management systems. Management and cultural tourism.
Topic 7. Islamic Defensive Architecture. Forts, fortresses, urban walls, castles, towers and
watchtowers.
Topic 8. Miscellany. Other topics not included above, but compliant to the main topic of the
Conference.
