Entering a sacred monument is never an unremarkable experience.
Whether a place of worship for Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists, the buildings all tend to be architecturally magnificent. And behind the stone, brick, or marble facades are hidden stories of titanic construction sites where brilliant architects, builders and artists came together... From the West to the Far East, these monuments are the concrete witnesses of men's beliefs and of their desire to excel, as well as reminders of their will for political dominance.
This series, set in the present day, is about discovering some of the world’s most beautiful and sacred monuments, from Italy to Hungary via France, and on to India, Tunisia and even Myanmar... During each episode we spend a day, from sunrise to sunset, at one of the monuments and learn about its history and architecture, as well as the rituals practiced there, and the people who take care of it.
Alfred de Montesquiou, a war correspondent for the Associated Press news agency and a journalist for Paris Match – for which he has covered most of the Arab Spring revolutions – will be our knowledge broker along the Silk Road, the mythical network of trade routes that for centuries linked the Far East to the West. Follow in the footsteps of illustrious predecessors, from Alexander the Great to Marco Polo.
Journey through time, encountering specialists, historians, or just everyday people with a passion who will help you grasp the past and present identities of those countries. From Bursa in Turkey to Xi’an in China, Alfred guides and accompanies you in this fresh and original way to discover History.
The trees that are featured across Europe - from Greece to Sweden - stand as references to time, witnesses of collective life and sources of spirituality. Others represent, quite simply, aesthetic encounters. From the ends of their roots to the tips of their crowns, ten trees recount stories and converse among themselves, in this beautiful blending of nature and culture.
Women write art history – but in turn are systematically ignored by it. LOST WOMEN ART tells the story of the suppressed female avant-garde and by doing so introduces a new art history.