Hagia Sophia: Istanbul's Mystery 

Istanbul's magnificent Hagia Sophia has survived on one of the world's most active seismic faults, which has inflicted a dozen devastating earthquakes since Hagia Sophia was built in 537 AD... See full summary »

Directors:

Gary Glassman, Olivier Julien

Writer:

Gary Glassman

Stars:

Carlo Agliati, Caprice Benedetti, Joan R. Branham

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Carlo Agliati	...	Himself
Caprice Benedetti	...	(voice)
Joan R. Branham	...	Herself
Ahmet Cakmak	...	Himself
Eser Cakti	...	Herself
Gamze Ceylan	...	(voice)
Koray Durak	...	Himself
Mustafa Özder Erdik	...	Himself
Jun Naito	...	(voice)
Luciana Notturni	...	Herself
Korban Oral	...	Himself
Robert Ousterhout	...	Himself
Sonay Sakar	...	Herself
Jay O. Sanders	...	Himself - Narrator
Erik Singer	...	(voice)

Storyline

Istanbul's magnificent Hagia Sophia has survived on one of the world's most active seismic faults, which has inflicted a dozen devastating earthquakes since Hagia Sophia was built in 537 AD. As Istanbul braces for the next big quake, a team of architects and engineers is investigating Hagia Sophia's seismic secrets. NOVA follows the team's discoveries as they examine the building's unique structure and other ingenious design strategies that have insured the dome's survival. The engineers build a massive eight-ton model of the building's core structure, place it on a motorized shake table and hit it with a series of simulated quakes.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 February 2015 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Providence Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

54 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

User Reviews

Incredibly interesting

I've seen several documentaries already about Hagia Sophia and this one by "Nova" is the best. In case you are unfamiliar with Hagia Sophia, it's a mosque in Istanbul that was originally a church during the time of the Byzantine Empire. Built in the 500s, it was the largest building of its time and is STILL incredibly impressive and huge. The show discusses the history of the building (from church to mosque to museum which it is today) but it's also concerned about the science behind the structure. How has it stayed up for nearly 1500 years...especially with a major fault line nearby?! To figure this out, a variety of experiments are conducted with models and just how modern and brilliant the engineering is discussed. In fact, the filmmakers had trouble replicating such a structure even today! Additionally, the show focuses on what is underneath the plaster facade that was put there by the Muslim conquerors who took the city in the 1500s. Overall, an exquisitely crafted show that creates a real sense of awe in the viewer--well done and well worth seeing.