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Series SeasonSeason 1 episodes2017

The Silk Road

Season 1

Discover the mythical network of trade routes that for centuries linked the Far East to the West with Alfred de Montesquiou. Follow in the footsteps of illustrious predecessors, from Alexander the Great to Marco Polo. 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. With him, take an extended trip through six countries and cultures. 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.

Episodes
Each episode has its own detail page.
Episode 126 min2017-01-10

Italy: Venice

Our adventurer begins his journey in Venice, just like Marco Polo, the most famous voyager to have proceeded down this ancient route. The many cultural influences are immediately obvious: The architecture and the mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica reveal the links that connect this city with the distant lands of Asia; the textile maker Alberto Bevilacqua recounts the history of the silk trade, while a restaurant owner passionate about gastronomy explains the varied origins of Venetian cuisine. Alfred then shows us a little-known treasure: the Armenian monastery’s library. It is packed with manuscripts in all languages, brought there through the Silk Road.

Episode 226 min2017-01-17

Turkey: Bosphorus

At the edge of the European continent, our guide enters Turkish territory through the city of Edirne. He discovers Ottoman architectural wonders and the traditional local variant of wrestling, in which men are doused in olive oil before bouts. After a stop in Istanbul, the ultimate symbol of the Silk Road, Alfred discovers the city that was once the Ottoman capital, Bursa, and gains an insight into Anatolian culture.

Episode 326 min2017-01-24

Turkey: Anatolia, The Caravans of Asia Minor

At the heart of the Anatolian plateau, our guide visits the first of the caravanserais that dot his journey, as they once dotted the ancient trade routes.

Episode 426 min2017-01-31

Iran: Tabriz, Capital of Merchants

Alfred discovers the north of Iran; enter the city that once was the core of the entire Silk Road in Persia: Tabriz. He heads into the bazaar, the finest in the country, and wanders through its 36km of alleyways and stalls.

Episode 526 min2017-02-07

Iran: Assassins, Emperors and Ma

Alfred learns that Iran has a Silk Road Secretariat. Its representative in the northern city of Qazvin – Hooman Babapoor – explains that the government wishes to develop links between other countries along the illustrious road.

Episode 626 min2017-02-14

Iran: Kashan and the Zoroastrian Fire Temple of Yazd

In the oasis of Kashan, in central Iran, Alfred marvels at the famous pleasure gardens of Fin that cemented the Persians’ renown. He then discovers Iranian Zoroastrianism in a “house of strength”, whose inhabitants hone both their spirit and their body.

Episode 726 min2017-02-21

Uzbekistan: Bukhara

Alfred arrives in Uzbekistan, at the heart of the ancient Silk Road. He discovers Bukhara the beautiful, dream city for numerous travelers.

Episode 826 min2017-02-28

Uzbekistan: Samarkand

Some used to say Samarkand – in central Uzbekistan – was at the center of the world. Alfred follows the ancient Royal Road to the city – associated with the great Turco-Mongol warrior Timur, who was also famed for his refinement and elegance.

Episode 926 min2017-03-07

Uzbekistan: Tachkent

Alfred is awestruck by the modernity of life in Tashkent, the capital of present-day Uzbekistan and a major central Asian city. There is an incredible mix of ethnic groups in this part of the world.

Episode 1026 min2017-03-14

Kyrgystan

Osh is the first place Alfred visits in Kyrgyzstan. He saunters down the aisles of its bazaar, but soon realizes that the real Kyrgyzstan is to be found on the endless steppes and vast mountains, where you lose all notions of boundaries.

Episode 1126 min2017-03-21

China: Kashgar

Alfred's point of entry to China is Kashgar, in the Xinjiang region – the biggest in the country. It is home to the Uyghurs, an ethnic minority descended from Turkic peoples.

Episode 1226 min2017-03-28

China: Gobi

A Uyghur family invites our guide into their home. He learns about their way of life and growing techniques. Gaochang used to be an important waypoint through the Silk Road and a famous gathering place for scholars.

Episode 1326 min2017-04-04

China: Dunhuang

Crossing the Taklamakan desert is a demanding step. And only once the Silk Road caravans made it could they say they truly arrived in China. The Bactrian camel has become emblematic of the region: without it, trade could not have developed along the Silk Road.

Episode 1426 min2017-04-11

China: Lanzhou

Our guide travels to Liqian, at the narrowest point of the Hexi Corridor. Legend has it that this is where the descendants of Crassus' lost legions ended up.

Episode 1526 min2017-04-18

China: Xian

Alfred arrives in Xi’an - in the province of Shaanxi. The Silk Road caravans used to end their long journey in this millenary city.

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Alfred de Montesquiou

Host

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