Aired
February 25, 2015
NOVA
NOVA
Hagia Sophia: Istanbul’s Ancient Mystery #S42E16
Whether serving as Christian church, Islamic mosque, or secular museum, Hagia Sophia and its saring dome have inspired reverence and awe. For 800 years, it was the largest enclosed building in the world—the Statue of Liberty can fit beneath its dome with room to spare. How has it survived its location on one of the world’s most active seismic faults, which has inflicted a dozen devastating earthquakes since it was built in 537? As Istanbul braces for the next big quake, a team of architects and engineers is urgently investigating Hagia Sophia’s seismic secrets. Follow engineers as they build a massive 8-ton model of the building’s core structure, place it on a motorized shake table, and hit it with a series of simulated quakes, pushing it collapse—a fate that the team is determined to avoid with the real building.
Episode 16 of Season 42 from NOVA — available to stream in HD on any device.
Comments & Discussions
Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!
Recommended
Because you liked NOVA
Shark Quest: Hunt For The Apex Predator
Shark Quest: Hunt For The Apex Predator
The Diamond Heist
The Diamond Heist
Turning Point: The Vietnam War
Turning Point: The Vietnam War
Christmas at Sea
Christmas at Sea
Anatomie d'un come-back
Anatomy of a comeback
Human Footprint
Human Footprint
Off Road
Off Road
Taking the Stand
Taking the Stand
Butchers of L.A.
Butchers of L.A.
The Wild Ones
The Wild Ones
Explore Content
Search for movies, TV shows, collections, manga, or people
Trending Now