Plot

Renowned historian Sir Christopher Clark explores Europe's culture and history, examining its diversity, impact on the world, and identity from an outsider's perspective through visits to significant locations.

What is Europe? How did this continent, which actually is not a continent geographically, develop? What keeps Europe with its many nations and peoples together? Is there the "typical European"? How did Europe shape our thinking, how did Europe enrich the world - and where did Europe plunge the world into disaster? Questions that Australian-born Sir Christopher Clark will engage in during his journey through the culture and history of Europe. Like no one else the renowned historian can take a curious and entertaining look at our continent "from outside" and in his personal presentations at Europe's most beautiful and fateful places sort out our confusingly diverse history.

Europe is not a straight line from the ancient Greeks to the EU, but rather a story with many fractures. Where today 740 million people gather from different backgrounds and culture, there already was a hive of activity during early human history. And our world has been shaped by people from Europe, by the imagination of the Greeks and the organizational skills of the Romans, by Vikings and Celts, by dynasties like the Habsburgs and Tudors, by explorers like Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus, conquerors like Napoleon and of course the great geniuses like Michelangelo and da Vinci. Their historical influence is undisputed - but what so they say to us today? Ever and anon Clark directs us to look at the current legacy and scrutinises the patterns: Does Europe still see itself today as the Christian Occident? Are we actually children of democracy? And is Islam really part of it?

What is at stake with Europe today? Christopher Clark repeatedly looks into this crucial question, marks the dividing aspects and sheds light on the courage and visions of those who, after centuries of violence, want to make Europe a peaceful place.