When it comes to the eminent features of contemporary European History, one buzzword comes up immediately: the European welfare state or the European social model, meaning the analytic ex-post ascription of (more or less) similar features of welfare institutions on the European continent. Welfare, or rather its distinct institutional configurations, it seems, is still perceived as an integral institutional component and intrinsic value of Europe, setting it apart from the rest of the world. Against this backdrop, we propose considering the diverse origins of welfare in Europe and the manifold interplays of competing actors, evolving practices, and varying care relations structures. This introduction highlights key aspects of these interplays, which give rise to a multidimensional geography of European welfare. It also presents the chapters of the edited volume.