ANCIENT MEGASTRUCTURES

Examine how ancient civilisations built some of the most magnificent structures on the face of the Earth, many centuries before the industrial revolution.

The Colosseum visits the iconic structure in the heart of Rome to explain how its 1st Century A.D. architects drained a lake the size of five football fields to construct a spectacular arena with a 55,000 capacity for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles.

The Great Pyramid travels to Giza and examines how all of Egypt was mobilised in 2551 BC to cut and move the two million stones that make up the last surviving ancient Wonder of the World.

Chartres Cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture but behind its towering walls lies the tale of an intense power struggle between French aristocrats and the Catholic Church. We examine its origin in a great fire, and how its builders overcame opposition, violence and destruction to create a magnificent structure that has withstood almost eight centuries.