Hagia Sophia: Engineering the Unimaginable | SLICE EXPERTS | FULL DOC

Considered the finest example of Byzantine architecture in the world, Hagia Sophia was constructed on a scale unprecedented in human history. Built in the amazingly short time of five years, it bears witness to an amazing scientific knowledge and a rich cultural heritage from the past.
What were the artistic and cultural intentions of its architects? How did they manage to overcome the incredible technical and engineering challenges of the time?

Today experts are continuously discovering new artistic treasures in Hagia Sophia’s walls, relics of a tumultuous and majestic past. But its future may be threatened by a gigantic earthquake. An international team of architects, historians, seismologists and engineers are working on solving the monuments’ mysteries and are struggling on how to save it from destruction.

Documentary: Building Wonders, Hagia Sophia
Directed by: Gary Glassman & Olivier Julien
Production: NOVA, Providence Pictures, ZED & ARTE France

[tedmarakas]

Excellent stuff. Excellent videography and information. I have visited the church about 5 times and I will be there again in 2 weeks. You can never get enough or bored looking at monuments like this.

[paullewis]

From Christian Church to Muslim Mosque to Museum and back to Mosque. So Erdogan’s plan for the Islamification of Turkey from a Secular State back to a Muslim State goes on. This building is historically so important it shouldn’t be returned to a particular religion because it belongs to civilisation as a whole.

[GeorgeEllis-qu]

This is a PBS Nova documentary, it's great. Slice Experts have nothing to do with it. They are just repeating the work of others.

[cv]

Built on the faith of Byzantine Christians ❤

[HasanSan-fjlk]

❤🎉❤ KEINDAHAN TAMAN SURGA ADN BUNGA TULIP ❤🎉❤

[HypnoPol]

Wonderful documentary with amazing imagery.

[davidmagill]

Where is the credit line to PBS, NOVA???? Seems as if Slice had nothing to do with it. I took a screen shot from the NOVA presentation I had saved, then as I was watching the one credited to Slice and it all was an exact overlay. Bottom line, it is a fascinating documentary on an amazing structure I will never forget seeing. PLEASE give credit where credit is due.

[fratercontenduntocculta]

I’m happy that although hidden, the christian art remains. It should be maintained as a secular museum in order to prevent one religion from insulting the other by claiming dominance over the structure. Much love to the Turkish people for maintaining one of the most historically important buildings in human history.

[MySpace]

It is a civil engineering marvel, known at that time as the Megale Ekklesia, or the Great Church.

[YaqobYusra]

By the way the Islamic calligraphy is been taken from Assyrians calligraphy, so is not invented by othoman