Ancient Megastructures (2011)
Ancient Megastructures
2011Examine how ancient civilisations built some of the most magnificent structures on the face of the Earth, many centuries before the industrial revolution.
Seasons & Episode
The Alhambra is the greatest example of Islamic military architecture in Europe. Sultan Muhammad I constructed this ingenious, impregnable fortress in 1238 amid treacherous political betrayals.
Fiery Roman Emperor Justinian ordered the rebuilding of the great church of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul almost 1500 years ago. Modern science now uncovers the secret to this vast golden dome's longevity.
Carved into the side of a narrow gorge in the unforgiving deserts of Petra in modern day Jordan, the ancient Nabataeans turned engineering on its head to create their glorious royal city, Khazneh.
From the ashes of London's Great Fire in 1666 rises Christopher Wren's daring architectural vision. As England's first Baroque cathedral, St Paul's is an icon to rival the grandeur of ancient Rome.
Examine how ancient civilisations built some of the most magnificent structures on the face of the Earth, many centuries before the industrial revolution.