Building the Great Cathedrals

Building the Great Cathedrals investigates the construction and preservation of Europe’s magnificent Gothic cathedrals. It sheds light on the ingenious techniques and hidden formulas used by medieval architects and builders to create these awe-inspiring structures that have stood for centuries.

The film focuses on several iconic cathedrals, including the Beauvais Cathedral in France, and reveals the immense challenges faced by the builders. It showcases the logistics of acquiring materials, the manpower required from entire towns, and how construction often spanned generations of architects. The documentary also highlights the decline and potential ruination of these architectural marvels, emphasizing the ongoing efforts of international teams of artisans, architects, and engineers to preserve and restore them.

Through hands-on experiments and in-depth analysis, the film uncovers the architectural secrets that allowed medieval builders to reach such spectacular heights using only hand tools and stone. It explains how the Gothic style revolutionized building techniques, introducing innovations like pointed arches, vaulted ceilings, and a stone skeleton of columns and buttresses that allowed for thinner walls and larger stained glass windows.

The documentary also delves into the spiritual aspects of cathedral construction, revealing how builders drew inspiration from hidden formulas found in the Bible itself. It provides insight into the vocabulary of religious architecture and the symbolic significance of these structures in medieval society.