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Hidden churches...
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cut from the depths
of the earth.
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Staircases that defy
the laws of physics.
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And mansions
where visitors become lost
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in an endless maze.
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Mysterious structures
fascinate us because
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they're like puzzles...
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waiting to be solved.
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What appears
on the surface to be...
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a church...
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or a mansion...
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...can actually be
more than that.
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Could a pyramid have been
a power plant, for example?
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Well...
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that is what we'll try
and find out.
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High in the mountains
of Northern Ethiopia,
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a mile and a half
above sea level,
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lies the city of Lalibela.
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Each year, tens of thousands
of worshippers
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make the arduous journey here,
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despite its remote location,
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to visit 11 of the strangest
holy places on Earth.
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Lalibela is one of Africa's
most mysterious sites.
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It's a complex
of 11 monolithic churches
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that are hewn right out
of the bedrock.
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Most churches are built
on the surface
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and they're built from
the bottom up.
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Whereas, in Lalibela,
they're built from the top down.
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It's the only place on the Earth
that has cathedrals
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that are built underground
as opposed to being
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built on the surface.
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What makes the Lalibela churches
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so unique...
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is not just
their building construction,
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which is unlike anything else
in the world.
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But also the otherworldly feel
of the complexes
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where these different
monuments can be found.
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Entering into the complex
of churches
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was almost like entering
another realm.
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Almost as if those
who constructed Lalibela
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had a ritual function.
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And that was to bring themselves
closer to God.
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It's an incredible piece
of engineering
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this idea that you build
11 churches below ground.
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But it creates
its own unique problems.
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How do people get down there?
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Uh, how did they move all of the
rock out and where did it go?
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Uh, those are the things that
start running through my mind.
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Dating back
to the 12th century AD,
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each of Lalibela's 11 churches
was painstakingly
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carved by hand
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and from the outside
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like enormous sculptures.
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The complex also includes
an extensive system of tunnels,
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catacombs all carved
out of solid bedrock.
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But why?
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Why build a magnificent series
of structures
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in the toughest way possible?
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The builder of Lalibela
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was a king by this very name,
Lalibela.
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And it is said
that in the 12th century,
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he was living in Jerusalem
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and decided to come back
into Ethiopia
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and create
these monolithic churches.
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And it's very clear
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that Lalibela, uh, in the design
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of these different churches,
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was trying
to replicate Jerusalem.
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Indeed, he was trying
to create a new Jerusalem.
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So by entering
into this complex,
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it's almost like you were
entering into Jerusalem itself,
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which was considered to be the
most holy shrine in the world.
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It is described that
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Lalibela had a dream
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and in the dream,
he was instructed by God
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to go back and make
a copy of Jerusalem...
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at the site.
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And in order
to fulfill God's request,
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King Lalibela and others
who were involved
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worked night and day
for 20 years.
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So in their minds,
right at the beginning,
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they had a three-dimensional
structure in mind.
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'Cause when they started,
it was just a big piece of rock.
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And how did they know
that if they were going
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to go 150 feet down
into the ground,
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that everything was okay?
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Because the worst
possible thing would be
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that you'd almost finished
and then you found
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that there was a massive
problem at the bottom.
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11 underground churches.
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Some over 100 feet deep.
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Each carved from
a single block of stone
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in only 20 years' time.
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Archeologists date the churches
back nearly a thousand years.
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But even with today's
modern technology,
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such an incredible
architectural feat
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would be considered impossible.
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So how was it accomplished?
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If we go and build
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a big structure today,
a skyscraper,
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we have blueprints,
we have engineering
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design pathways and we have
a construction plan.
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It tells us how
we would do every step
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of the way; where every
screw, nut, bolt,
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weld, poured concrete goes.
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None of that exists for
these large, ancient structures.
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So we really got
to think outside the box
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and try to find
how they were done,
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why they were done
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and who built them.
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A very curious thing
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at Lalibela is that there are
some very unique carvings there.
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There's very interesting symbols
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that are carved
into these churches.
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Do they mean something
if you put them together?
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In the church of St. Mary
at Lalibela,
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there is the Star of David.
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And this, along with a number
of other mementos
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and designs are extremely
indicative
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of the presence
of the Knights Templar.
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This has suggested to many
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that they may well
have been present
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during the construction
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of the churches at Lalibela.
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Now the Knights Templar
were a very interesting
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religious order that became
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00:07:05,417 --> 00:07:07,167
very powerful during
the Middle Ages.
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00:07:07,261 --> 00:07:09,411
But what people
don't often realize is
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they were very interested
in building,
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in, uh, geometry,
in, uh, numerology.
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Uh, and so they were
at once very practical
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and pragmatic and then
also very spiritual and mystic.
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The Knights Templar had
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a great amount of knowledge
in masonry
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and architecture
and building structures.
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Now, it's debated
as to whether or not
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the Knights Templar would have
been in Ethiopia at this time.
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But there's some
interesting evidence
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that an Armenian geographer
at the time
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documented seeing men with
red and white regalia,
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00:07:43,047 --> 00:07:45,613
blond or reddish hair,
long hair,
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which could indicate that
he's talking about Templars.
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So, it could be that
the Templars themselves
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were the ones
that built Lalibela,
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or that they helped
King Lalibela build the site.
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Could Templar stonemasons have
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influenced the construction
of the churches at Lalibela?
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And if so, for what purpose?
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00:08:09,490 --> 00:08:10,805
If you look around Lalibela,
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there are altars there
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that have spaces
in them that would
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precisely fit
the Ark of the Covenant,
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which was approximately
four feet in length,
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two feet wide and around
two feet in height.
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It has been suggested
that the rock-cut churches
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at Lalibela were built to house
the Ark of the Covenant.
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The lost Ark of the Covenant,
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the gold box which contained
the original Ten Commandments
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could it have been hidden
at Lalibela centuries ago?
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During the Crusades,
we know that the Templars
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occupied the Temple of Solomon.
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And so, it could be
that they were
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the keepers
of the Ark of the Covenant.
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And the more you look
at Lalibela, and given the fact
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that we see that
it's built underground,
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you start to think,
here we have these churches
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that are hewn out of these
megalithic rocks.
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They're built like
defensive structures.
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They have all kinds
of interesting symbolism there
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that indicate Templars.
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And you start getting the
impression that this is actually
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some kind of defensive fortress
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to protect... something.
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Was Lalibela originally built
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to house and hide
the Ark of the Covenant?
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And if so, why only 11 churches?
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Jesus had 12 apostles.
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So wouldn't it seem likely
that there were
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12 churches built,
one for each of them?
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There are many who believe
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the answer
to that question is yes,
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and that the Ark is still hidden
in an undiscovered church.
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Incredible, you say?
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Perhaps not as incredible
as a stairway in New Mexico
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whose builder wasn't
only divinely inspired
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but may have
actually been sent...
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directly from heaven.
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February 11, 2019.
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Investigative journalist
and radio host
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David Whitehead travels
to the Loretto Chapel
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in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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I'm here to investigate
a really mysterious structure,
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00:10:26,377 --> 00:10:29,944
the famous Loretto staircase.
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00:10:30,005 --> 00:10:32,022
We don't know who built it,
we don't understand
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00:10:32,049 --> 00:10:34,541
the physics behind it
and we don't even have
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a good indication
as to what it's made of.
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Oh, wow.
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This place is beautiful.
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00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:52,300
Meeting with David is
chapel curator Richard Lindsley.
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00:10:52,361 --> 00:10:56,880
- So this is it.
- Absolutely.
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Our miraculous staircase.
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00:10:58,993 --> 00:11:00,159
I've heard so much about it.
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00:11:00,319 --> 00:11:02,644
I've read so many theories
about it,
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00:11:02,705 --> 00:11:05,739
and it's amazing to actually
be here to see it.
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00:11:05,833 --> 00:11:09,743
In 1873, the Sisters of Loretto
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00:11:09,837 --> 00:11:11,895
commissioned the construction
of the chapel
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00:11:11,922 --> 00:11:14,080
for their new girls school.
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00:11:14,175 --> 00:11:16,491
Officially consecrated
five years later,
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00:11:16,552 --> 00:11:20,587
the Loretto Chapel is a triumph
of Gothic Revival design,
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00:11:20,681 --> 00:11:24,349
with its high spires,
soaring buttresses
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00:11:24,509 --> 00:11:28,412
and enormous
stained glass windows.
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00:11:28,439 --> 00:11:30,764
But as construction was
nearing completion,
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00:11:30,858 --> 00:11:33,767
the project's architect
suddenly died,
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00:11:33,861 --> 00:11:36,195
before he could build
what was considered
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00:11:36,355 --> 00:11:38,680
the most ambitious part
of the job:
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00:11:38,741 --> 00:11:42,993
the staircase leading up
to the choir loft.
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00:11:46,373 --> 00:11:49,374
The mystery of the staircase
actually begins
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00:11:49,534 --> 00:11:51,618
with this mysterious carpenter.
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00:11:51,712 --> 00:11:55,789
The sisters asked the local
carpenters to build one,
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00:11:55,883 --> 00:11:58,625
but they failed; they didn't
know how to do it.
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00:11:58,719 --> 00:12:01,628
The sisters, they decided
to turn to prayer,
222
00:12:01,722 --> 00:12:05,115
and said a nine-day novena,
asking St. Joseph,
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00:12:05,142 --> 00:12:07,226
the patron of carpenters,
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00:12:07,386 --> 00:12:09,619
to help them
with their problem.
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00:12:09,647 --> 00:12:11,805
At the last day of their prayer,
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00:12:11,899 --> 00:12:14,716
it's said that a knock came
at these doors.
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00:12:14,777 --> 00:12:17,552
This elderly man was
standing there with a donkey
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00:12:17,613 --> 00:12:18,979
by his side,
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00:12:19,073 --> 00:12:21,965
and he told the sister
that he had come
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00:12:21,992 --> 00:12:23,984
to build their staircase.
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00:12:24,078 --> 00:12:26,987
Was it St. Joseph,
like the sisters believed?
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00:12:27,081 --> 00:12:29,564
Some pious people think
it was an angel.
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00:12:29,625 --> 00:12:33,493
But he was very reclusive,
and insisted upon
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00:12:33,587 --> 00:12:36,571
working inside this chapel
by himself,
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00:12:36,632 --> 00:12:40,317
never allowing anyone to see him
work on the staircase.
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00:12:40,344 --> 00:12:43,653
Throughout the, uh, Christian
and Catholic world,
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00:12:43,681 --> 00:12:45,430
we have a tremendous amount
of these stories
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00:12:45,590 --> 00:12:48,082
of miraculous help from saints.
239
00:12:48,143 --> 00:12:50,176
And this is a part
of the Catholic belief system.
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00:12:50,271 --> 00:12:52,496
You can pray to saints,
and they're supposed to,
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00:12:52,523 --> 00:12:54,439
uh, try to help.
242
00:12:54,599 --> 00:12:56,333
So it's a built-in part
of the package,
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00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:58,852
this idea of an intercessory,
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00:12:58,946 --> 00:13:02,281
closer to people,
and yet closer to God.
245
00:13:04,660 --> 00:13:07,677
After three months, the sisters
came into the chapel,
246
00:13:07,705 --> 00:13:09,604
and the man was gone.
247
00:13:09,665 --> 00:13:13,199
And when they could not find him
to even pay him for his labor,
248
00:13:13,294 --> 00:13:16,036
they went to the only
lumber yard in town
249
00:13:16,130 --> 00:13:19,356
and asked them how much
they owed for the materials.
250
00:13:19,383 --> 00:13:22,950
And the lumber yard
told the sisters that the man
251
00:13:23,012 --> 00:13:26,263
never got any materials
from them at all.
252
00:13:29,143 --> 00:13:32,702
So, what material is
this staircase made of?
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00:13:32,730 --> 00:13:35,129
I gave a core sample
of the wood
254
00:13:35,190 --> 00:13:38,542
from the inner stringer
to a U.S. Naval scientist,
255
00:13:38,569 --> 00:13:40,485
and he determined right away
256
00:13:40,645 --> 00:13:43,971
that it was a form of
Picea spruce.
257
00:13:44,033 --> 00:13:47,475
Is this form of spruce
local to Santa Fe?
258
00:13:47,536 --> 00:13:50,236
The wood in the staircase
did not match up
259
00:13:50,331 --> 00:13:53,907
with any other Picea spruce
known to science.
260
00:13:54,001 --> 00:13:55,500
This wood does not match up
261
00:13:55,660 --> 00:13:57,919
with any other quite like it
on Earth.
262
00:13:59,673 --> 00:14:02,732
The staircase at Loretto Chapel
is-is amazing.
263
00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:04,492
It's a double spiral system.
264
00:14:04,553 --> 00:14:06,753
There's no glue, there's
no nails, there's no screws.
265
00:14:06,847 --> 00:14:10,498
It's put together in a way
that how it's just
266
00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,743
sitting on itself is
holding it together.
267
00:14:13,771 --> 00:14:16,021
So, Richard, an interesting
thing about this design
268
00:14:16,181 --> 00:14:19,674
-is the double helix.
-Mm-hmm.
269
00:14:19,735 --> 00:14:22,194
The double helix
or the double spiral
270
00:14:22,354 --> 00:14:25,088
is that it's an incredibly
unique design.
271
00:14:25,115 --> 00:14:28,683
Well, we had a world-renowned
physicist come visit us,
272
00:14:28,744 --> 00:14:32,204
and he was convinced that
the double helix design
273
00:14:32,364 --> 00:14:35,040
was integral to
its inner strength.
274
00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,024
-Mind if I go up?
-Please.
275
00:14:37,086 --> 00:14:38,618
Be my guest.
276
00:14:38,712 --> 00:14:40,604
This is a very special
privilege.
277
00:14:40,631 --> 00:14:42,530
I definitely feel
very privileged.
278
00:14:42,591 --> 00:14:44,257
I've waited for this moment
for so long.
279
00:14:51,058 --> 00:14:53,783
Oh, wow, yeah.
280
00:14:53,811 --> 00:14:57,211
It's a unique feeling,
just right on that first step.
281
00:14:57,272 --> 00:14:59,940
I almost feel, like,
a vibration.
282
00:15:06,731 --> 00:15:09,557
Feeling like... I'm floating.
283
00:15:09,618 --> 00:15:11,801
Like there's nothing
underneath my feet.
284
00:15:11,829 --> 00:15:13,286
It's truly a remarkable feeling.
285
00:15:15,073 --> 00:15:17,657
Now, how many stairs
have we got here?
286
00:15:17,751 --> 00:15:20,493
There are 33 steps
to the staircase,
287
00:15:20,587 --> 00:15:22,979
which reminded the sisters
of our Lord,
288
00:15:23,006 --> 00:15:24,998
because he lived 33 years.
289
00:15:25,092 --> 00:15:27,651
Well, I find it very interesting
290
00:15:27,678 --> 00:15:31,655
that, here we are
in this chapel in Santa Fe,
291
00:15:31,682 --> 00:15:34,658
and we're seeing the motif
of a sacred number: 33.
292
00:15:34,685 --> 00:15:36,435
And this number is important
to the Templars.
293
00:15:39,314 --> 00:15:41,606
33 steps?
294
00:15:41,766 --> 00:15:44,167
One of the most sacred numbers
to the fraternal order
295
00:15:44,194 --> 00:15:46,093
of builders known as Freemasons,
296
00:15:46,155 --> 00:15:49,448
who, in turn, are thought to be
the spiritual descendants
297
00:15:49,608 --> 00:15:52,342
of the Knights Templar.
298
00:15:52,369 --> 00:15:56,621
Could this number of steps
really provide an important clue
299
00:15:56,781 --> 00:16:01,184
as to who built the stairway,
and how?
300
00:16:01,211 --> 00:16:05,630
So the number 33 is
a sacred number in Templarism.
301
00:16:05,790 --> 00:16:08,358
So, they would have encoded
that number,
302
00:16:08,385 --> 00:16:09,801
whether it be in staircases,
303
00:16:09,961 --> 00:16:13,638
or artwork
in the stained glass windows,
304
00:16:13,798 --> 00:16:15,532
or even the mathematical
dimensions
305
00:16:15,559 --> 00:16:17,792
of some of these structures.
306
00:16:17,853 --> 00:16:20,628
To the Templars,
they don't just see a staircase
307
00:16:20,689 --> 00:16:24,207
or a stained glass window
or a layout of a church design.
308
00:16:24,234 --> 00:16:26,985
They see an esoteric number,
309
00:16:27,145 --> 00:16:29,470
the number of a master builder,
310
00:16:29,531 --> 00:16:32,382
the manifestation of
the divine on Earth,
311
00:16:32,409 --> 00:16:36,143
and it's very deeply rooted
in the entire Templar tradition.
312
00:16:36,205 --> 00:16:38,888
I think the quality
of construction and detailing
313
00:16:38,916 --> 00:16:42,167
show that somebody who did it
was highly skilled.
314
00:16:42,327 --> 00:16:43,910
And they must have learned that.
315
00:16:44,004 --> 00:16:46,338
So the person who built
that staircase
316
00:16:46,498 --> 00:16:48,173
apprenticed with somebody.
317
00:16:48,333 --> 00:16:49,566
They learned some things.
318
00:16:49,593 --> 00:16:52,085
They applied those things later
in Santa Fe.
319
00:16:52,179 --> 00:16:54,404
So there's no doubt they
could have been working
320
00:16:54,431 --> 00:16:57,240
with a mason,
but they were way too skilled
321
00:16:57,267 --> 00:16:59,518
to have been the first time
they did something like that.
322
00:17:03,181 --> 00:17:05,339
The construction
of the staircase
323
00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,768
defies all conventional
construction practices
324
00:17:08,862 --> 00:17:12,197
any kind of rational,
conventional explanation.
325
00:17:12,357 --> 00:17:13,423
Where did the materials
come from?
326
00:17:13,450 --> 00:17:16,276
Who built it?
327
00:17:16,370 --> 00:17:19,186
It seems like we just have
more questions
328
00:17:19,248 --> 00:17:20,430
than we do answers.
329
00:17:20,457 --> 00:17:21,931
-Yes.
-But we do know that
330
00:17:21,959 --> 00:17:23,524
it's a mystery, and...
331
00:17:23,585 --> 00:17:25,794
hopefully one day
we'll be able to solve it.
332
00:17:27,756 --> 00:17:30,290
Could the stairway
of the Loretto Chapel
333
00:17:30,384 --> 00:17:33,109
really be the product
of a miracle...
334
00:17:33,136 --> 00:17:35,612
or is it just the work
of a gifted builder
335
00:17:35,639 --> 00:17:38,948
who preferred to keep
his identity and his methods
336
00:17:38,976 --> 00:17:40,875
a well-guarded secret?
337
00:17:40,936 --> 00:17:44,896
To millions of the faithful,
the answer is clear.
338
00:17:46,942 --> 00:17:50,068
Which is more than can be said
for an architectural curiosity
339
00:17:50,228 --> 00:17:53,738
located some 1,000 miles
from Loretto Chapel.
340
00:17:53,898 --> 00:17:58,076
One that many believe
was not inspired by heaven...
341
00:17:59,830 --> 00:18:02,330
...but by the fires of hell.
342
00:18:06,128 --> 00:18:07,836
Strange.
343
00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:11,423
Macabre.
344
00:18:12,968 --> 00:18:15,093
Disturbing.
345
00:18:17,764 --> 00:18:20,824
In San Jose, California,
stands one of the largest
346
00:18:20,851 --> 00:18:23,993
and most bizarre
private residences
347
00:18:24,021 --> 00:18:25,678
in the United States.
348
00:18:25,772 --> 00:18:28,756
Known as the Winchester
Mystery House,
349
00:18:28,817 --> 00:18:32,669
this 24,000 square foot
Victorian-style mansion
350
00:18:32,696 --> 00:18:36,931
contains an astonishing
160 rooms,
351
00:18:36,992 --> 00:18:40,267
17 chimneys,
352
00:18:40,329 --> 00:18:42,103
47 fireplaces,
353
00:18:42,164 --> 00:18:43,847
two basements,
354
00:18:43,874 --> 00:18:46,791
three elevators,
355
00:18:46,951 --> 00:18:50,778
and more than 10,000
panes of glass.
356
00:18:50,839 --> 00:18:52,705
And those are just the ones
we know about.
357
00:18:52,799 --> 00:18:55,449
But why?
358
00:18:55,510 --> 00:18:58,528
The Winchester Mystery House
is a very special place
359
00:18:58,555 --> 00:19:01,288
that was built
with no master plan.
360
00:19:01,350 --> 00:19:03,716
But there are a lot
of architectural oddities
361
00:19:03,810 --> 00:19:05,885
that remain a mystery
as to why they're here.
362
00:19:05,979 --> 00:19:08,538
Most buildings start with
363
00:19:08,565 --> 00:19:10,965
some drawings, some blueprints,
364
00:19:11,026 --> 00:19:13,877
some documents that say "this is
what it's gonna look like"
365
00:19:13,904 --> 00:19:15,487
when it was finished.
366
00:19:15,647 --> 00:19:17,989
That building looks like they
made it up as they went.
367
00:19:18,149 --> 00:19:20,717
There are doors that open to
368
00:19:20,744 --> 00:19:22,994
12-foot drops outside.
369
00:19:23,154 --> 00:19:24,812
There's doors that,
you step through them,
370
00:19:24,873 --> 00:19:27,314
you'll land in a kitchen sink
on the first floor.
371
00:19:27,376 --> 00:19:30,484
It's almost like an Escher
picture in some ways.
372
00:19:30,545 --> 00:19:34,731
The mastermind behind this
architectural jigsaw puzzle
373
00:19:34,758 --> 00:19:37,008
was Sarah Winchester,
374
00:19:37,168 --> 00:19:39,736
the widow of the man
who manufactured
375
00:19:39,763 --> 00:19:41,179
the Winchester repeating rifle.
376
00:19:42,391 --> 00:19:43,740
It was famously known as
377
00:19:43,767 --> 00:19:45,833
"the gun that won the West"
378
00:19:45,894 --> 00:19:49,579
because it could kill
more people faster
379
00:19:49,606 --> 00:19:53,340
than any gun
previously invented.
380
00:19:53,402 --> 00:19:56,436
The Winchester rifle was special
because it could fire
381
00:19:56,530 --> 00:19:59,030
up to 15 rounds
without being reloaded,
382
00:19:59,190 --> 00:20:02,592
which was very different from
most of the smooth bores used
383
00:20:02,619 --> 00:20:04,351
in the Civil War, say,
which were
384
00:20:04,413 --> 00:20:07,688
y-you loaded it, you fired
one shot and that was it.
385
00:20:07,749 --> 00:20:09,523
So you can imagine the advantage
that you would have
386
00:20:09,584 --> 00:20:11,935
being able to shoot round
after round after round
387
00:20:11,962 --> 00:20:13,453
without reloading.
388
00:20:13,547 --> 00:20:17,549
When Sarah's husband died
in 1881,
389
00:20:17,709 --> 00:20:20,701
she became the heir
to his massive fortune.
390
00:20:20,762 --> 00:20:24,614
Three years later, she began
construction on a mansion
391
00:20:24,641 --> 00:20:28,876
that would take 38 years
to complete.
392
00:20:28,937 --> 00:20:31,804
She just added things on
as she had a great idea.
393
00:20:31,898 --> 00:20:35,124
So everybody had to listen
and say, "Oh, okay.
394
00:20:35,152 --> 00:20:37,068
You want a large ballroom
up there?"
395
00:20:37,228 --> 00:20:39,145
And then they'd figure it out
as they went.
396
00:20:39,239 --> 00:20:42,223
Even to this day,
they're still finding
397
00:20:42,284 --> 00:20:45,226
new rooms and new features
to this house.
398
00:20:45,287 --> 00:20:47,746
Was Sarah just working off
of her whims?
399
00:20:47,906 --> 00:20:50,490
Was she just an eccentric
crazy lady?
400
00:20:50,584 --> 00:20:53,084
Or is there some other
unknown explanation
401
00:20:53,244 --> 00:20:54,836
that we have yet to understand?
402
00:20:56,923 --> 00:20:58,757
It is suspected that one reason
403
00:20:58,917 --> 00:21:01,317
Sarah kept building
and building
404
00:21:01,344 --> 00:21:04,003
around the clock for 38 years
405
00:21:04,097 --> 00:21:06,155
is that she was trying
to protect herself
406
00:21:06,183 --> 00:21:09,993
from all the dead souls the
Winchester rifles had killed.
407
00:21:10,020 --> 00:21:13,271
Perhaps, it was thought,
408
00:21:13,431 --> 00:21:16,274
if the house was built
as a giant maze,
409
00:21:16,434 --> 00:21:20,612
the ghosts would never
be able to find her.
410
00:21:20,772 --> 00:21:23,506
The story is that
Sarah Winchester
411
00:21:23,533 --> 00:21:26,359
went through a long period
of grief.
412
00:21:26,453 --> 00:21:30,288
She, unfortunately, lost a
child, uh, only weeks old,
413
00:21:30,448 --> 00:21:32,865
and she lost her husband
to tuberculosis.
414
00:21:32,959 --> 00:21:34,608
And she started wondering,
415
00:21:34,669 --> 00:21:37,186
"Why are all these terrible
things happening to me?"
416
00:21:37,214 --> 00:21:39,522
And, uh, what was common
at the time
417
00:21:39,549 --> 00:21:42,783
was to seek out a medium
or spiritualist for guidance.
418
00:21:42,844 --> 00:21:47,121
And that person said that
the karma of this,
419
00:21:47,182 --> 00:21:49,790
the gun that won the West,
and all of these terrible things
420
00:21:49,851 --> 00:21:51,810
associated with this firearm,
is kind of haunting you.
421
00:21:54,314 --> 00:21:56,889
This spiritualist medium
told her
422
00:21:56,983 --> 00:21:59,042
that in order to pacify
these spirits,
423
00:21:59,069 --> 00:22:00,393
who were very offended
424
00:22:00,487 --> 00:22:02,545
at having been killed by
Winchester rifles,
425
00:22:02,572 --> 00:22:04,322
she needed to build a house.
426
00:22:04,482 --> 00:22:07,641
And she should never stop
building, and the idea also
427
00:22:07,702 --> 00:22:09,828
was that the constant sound
of the saws and hammers
428
00:22:09,988 --> 00:22:12,664
would drive
the bad spirits away.
429
00:22:12,824 --> 00:22:16,576
Some of the design features
were specifically built
430
00:22:16,670 --> 00:22:19,838
to confuse evil
or malicious spirits.
431
00:22:19,998 --> 00:22:21,397
So if the stairs led
to the ceiling,
432
00:22:21,424 --> 00:22:23,174
or if a door led to the outside,
433
00:22:23,334 --> 00:22:27,637
possibly they would be confused
and-and leave the property.
434
00:22:31,059 --> 00:22:33,926
Did Sarah Winchester spend
nearly 40 years
435
00:22:34,020 --> 00:22:37,838
and the equivalent of
more than $60 million
436
00:22:37,899 --> 00:22:41,417
constructing a bizarre
labyrinth of stairs,
437
00:22:41,444 --> 00:22:44,437
halls and doors
438
00:22:44,531 --> 00:22:47,940
in order to keep
the vengeful dead at bay?
439
00:22:48,034 --> 00:22:49,775
Perhaps.
440
00:22:49,870 --> 00:22:53,763
But some have suggested
that she built the house
441
00:22:53,790 --> 00:22:56,432
not to guard against the dead,
442
00:22:56,459 --> 00:23:00,361
but to fool the living.
443
00:23:00,422 --> 00:23:03,106
There's an even deeper mystery
in the house,
444
00:23:03,133 --> 00:23:04,966
and that is the numerology.
445
00:23:07,045 --> 00:23:08,961
In the Winchester Mystery House,
446
00:23:09,055 --> 00:23:10,446
there is a number
that appears everywhere
447
00:23:10,473 --> 00:23:12,873
in, you know, light fittings,
in mirrors,
448
00:23:12,934 --> 00:23:15,709
in all sorts of things.
And it's the number 13.
449
00:23:15,770 --> 00:23:19,972
We have the number 13 encoded
all over the place,
450
00:23:20,066 --> 00:23:24,310
in the walls, in the flooring,
in the stairways.
451
00:23:24,404 --> 00:23:28,814
We've got 13 bedrooms.
We've got 13 bathrooms.
452
00:23:28,909 --> 00:23:31,484
There are 13 wall panels
in some of the rooms;
453
00:23:31,578 --> 00:23:33,469
and on and on we could go.
454
00:23:33,496 --> 00:23:35,655
So there may have been
another motive here
455
00:23:35,749 --> 00:23:38,808
for why Sarah
built this house this way.
456
00:23:38,835 --> 00:23:42,328
A lot of people
have put forth theories
457
00:23:42,422 --> 00:23:43,922
that there was some sort
of complex puzzle
458
00:23:44,082 --> 00:23:46,907
going on here,
that she was leaving clues.
459
00:23:46,968 --> 00:23:50,595
It's possible that the number 13
could be a puzzle
460
00:23:50,755 --> 00:23:54,323
that could possibly unlock
some secret as to
461
00:23:54,351 --> 00:23:55,992
why it was so
prominently featured
462
00:23:56,019 --> 00:23:57,602
as a design element
in the house.
463
00:24:00,482 --> 00:24:02,348
An interesting symbol
that you see
464
00:24:02,442 --> 00:24:05,276
all throughout the house
is the symbol of the sun.
465
00:24:05,436 --> 00:24:08,112
In astrology and astrotheology,
466
00:24:08,272 --> 00:24:10,022
you have the idea
of the zodiac,
467
00:24:10,116 --> 00:24:12,341
which is, you have the 12 houses
of the zodiac,
468
00:24:12,369 --> 00:24:15,027
and the number 13 is the sun.
469
00:24:15,121 --> 00:24:17,346
At the front gates of the house,
and on each gate,
470
00:24:17,374 --> 00:24:19,273
you have a symbol of the sun.
471
00:24:19,334 --> 00:24:23,628
And the rays of the sun
add up to 16 on each sun.
472
00:24:23,788 --> 00:24:26,205
So when you put the 16
and the 16 together,
473
00:24:26,299 --> 00:24:28,949
you have the date
that William Shakespeare died.
474
00:24:29,010 --> 00:24:32,545
Two most cryptic windows,
stained glass windows
475
00:24:32,639 --> 00:24:34,955
in the house are Sarah's
ballroom windows.
476
00:24:35,016 --> 00:24:38,034
They're the only ones that
have any text in them,
477
00:24:38,061 --> 00:24:42,205
and they're two quotes from
different Shakespearean plays.
478
00:24:42,232 --> 00:24:46,133
And they read, "Wide unclasp
the tables of their thoughts."
479
00:24:46,194 --> 00:24:47,968
And then the other one says,
"These same thoughts
480
00:24:48,029 --> 00:24:50,563
people this little world."
481
00:24:50,657 --> 00:24:52,732
We don't know exactly
what that meant to Sarah.
482
00:24:52,826 --> 00:24:55,142
She took that secret with her
to her grave.
483
00:24:55,203 --> 00:24:59,572
Sarah Winchester passed away
September 1922.
484
00:24:59,666 --> 00:25:02,316
As you can imagine,
there was great excitement
485
00:25:02,377 --> 00:25:05,003
to see this incredible home
that everyone in the town
486
00:25:05,163 --> 00:25:07,246
had seen being built up
over so many years.
487
00:25:07,340 --> 00:25:10,399
All the furnishings were sold
anonymously at auction,
488
00:25:10,427 --> 00:25:13,069
but what was left
was one large safe
489
00:25:13,096 --> 00:25:14,570
in the grand ballroom.
490
00:25:14,597 --> 00:25:18,016
Sarah put a safe
in the grand ballroom,
491
00:25:18,176 --> 00:25:20,076
which is an odd place
to put a safe.
492
00:25:20,103 --> 00:25:22,854
And the safe itself is very odd.
493
00:25:23,014 --> 00:25:24,355
It's basically,
you open up the safe,
494
00:25:24,515 --> 00:25:27,099
and then you find another safe,
495
00:25:27,193 --> 00:25:28,860
and you have to open up
another safe,
496
00:25:29,020 --> 00:25:31,345
and it's a safe within a safe
within a safe.
497
00:25:31,406 --> 00:25:34,014
People were kind of
just mystified,
498
00:25:34,075 --> 00:25:35,849
like, "What's in the safe?"
And they were hoping
499
00:25:35,910 --> 00:25:37,927
for maybe treasure,
gold bars or jewelry.
500
00:25:37,954 --> 00:25:41,614
After they finally
got inside, they found
501
00:25:41,708 --> 00:25:44,767
just two things.
No gold, no silver, no diamonds.
502
00:25:44,794 --> 00:25:47,286
A lock of hair
from her baby Annie,
503
00:25:47,380 --> 00:25:49,105
who passed away
at just a few weeks old,
504
00:25:49,132 --> 00:25:51,290
and the obituary of her husband,
505
00:25:51,384 --> 00:25:53,217
who passed away to tuberculosis
very young.
506
00:25:55,055 --> 00:25:58,705
A lock of hair and an obituary?
507
00:25:58,767 --> 00:26:02,042
Are we really to believe that
Sarah Winchester
508
00:26:02,103 --> 00:26:03,969
had nothing of value
509
00:26:04,064 --> 00:26:08,808
safely hidden somewhere
in the house?
510
00:26:08,902 --> 00:26:13,296
What if it was built
as a giant puzzle,
511
00:26:13,323 --> 00:26:15,648
one that protects
a vast treasure
512
00:26:15,742 --> 00:26:18,484
that still lies hidden
behind one of the house's
513
00:26:18,578 --> 00:26:22,138
hundreds of walls?
Something to ponder
514
00:26:22,165 --> 00:26:26,659
while we investigate yet another
architectural mystery
515
00:26:26,753 --> 00:26:29,754
one whose building method
has baffled everyone,
516
00:26:29,914 --> 00:26:34,300
who has not only wondered why,
but how.
517
00:26:38,765 --> 00:26:40,506
Homestead, Florida.
518
00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,826
In this small town,
tucked away between Miami
519
00:26:43,853 --> 00:26:45,919
and Everglades National Park,
520
00:26:45,980 --> 00:26:49,148
stands an elaborate
stone edifice.
521
00:26:51,444 --> 00:26:55,262
The locals call it
"Coral Castle."
522
00:26:55,323 --> 00:26:58,357
Sculpted from massive blocks
of coral,
523
00:26:58,451 --> 00:27:01,285
this incredible structure
features a five-ton,
524
00:27:01,445 --> 00:27:03,346
heart-shaped table,
525
00:27:03,373 --> 00:27:06,624
a 28-ton obelisk,
526
00:27:06,784 --> 00:27:10,202
and a perfectly balanced
nine-ton door
527
00:27:10,296 --> 00:27:13,113
that opens with the touch
of a finger.
528
00:27:13,174 --> 00:27:16,025
And even more incredible
than this marvel
529
00:27:16,052 --> 00:27:18,043
of design and engineering,
530
00:27:18,138 --> 00:27:22,715
is the fact that it was built
by just one man.
531
00:27:22,809 --> 00:27:26,369
And nobody knows how he did it.
532
00:27:26,396 --> 00:27:29,722
Ed Leedskalnin was an immigrant
from Latvia
533
00:27:29,816 --> 00:27:32,650
who immigrated
to the United States,
534
00:27:32,810 --> 00:27:36,070
and he built the only modern
megalithic structure ever known.
535
00:27:37,866 --> 00:27:42,218
The Coral Castle
is 1,100 tons of coral bedrock
536
00:27:42,245 --> 00:27:45,312
that he dug out of the property
on which it rests.
537
00:27:45,373 --> 00:27:48,574
He was only about five feet
tall, but he managed to move
538
00:27:48,668 --> 00:27:50,817
hundreds of tons of coral rock
539
00:27:50,879 --> 00:27:54,914
into this megalithic
modern temple.
540
00:27:55,008 --> 00:27:57,733
He had no technology there
that could have lifted
541
00:27:57,760 --> 00:27:59,752
these stones or cut the stones.
542
00:27:59,846 --> 00:28:03,239
And yet, it's there to this day.
543
00:28:03,266 --> 00:28:04,849
The story goes that
Ed Leedskalnin
544
00:28:05,009 --> 00:28:08,761
built this incredible
megalithic site
545
00:28:08,855 --> 00:28:12,598
using only a few pulleys,
a tripod; uh, he did it
546
00:28:12,692 --> 00:28:14,917
all by himself,
and he worked at night,
547
00:28:14,944 --> 00:28:16,677
and he was very secretive.
548
00:28:16,738 --> 00:28:21,090
The blocks of stone used
to build Coral Castle
549
00:28:21,117 --> 00:28:23,684
are tons and tons,
550
00:28:23,745 --> 00:28:28,931
yet this guy was able to
construct this place by himself
551
00:28:28,958 --> 00:28:31,600
without any heavy equipment.
552
00:28:31,628 --> 00:28:36,380
Some kids, years later,
watched Edward Leedskalnin
553
00:28:36,540 --> 00:28:38,699
constructing and moving
the blocks.
554
00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,126
They kind of peaked over
and watched him.
555
00:28:41,221 --> 00:28:43,370
He spotted them
and chased them away.
556
00:28:43,431 --> 00:28:46,224
But they said he was working
all by himself.
557
00:28:46,384 --> 00:28:50,453
From 1923 until 1951,
558
00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:55,474
Leedskalnin perfectly shaped,
lifted, fitted,
559
00:28:55,568 --> 00:28:59,720
and stacked over two million
pounds of limestone.
560
00:28:59,781 --> 00:29:03,241
For decades, hundreds
of the world's top architects
561
00:29:03,401 --> 00:29:05,559
and engineers have come
to this place
562
00:29:05,620 --> 00:29:08,395
to solve the mystery
of its construction.
563
00:29:08,456 --> 00:29:10,248
The tripods, for instance,
564
00:29:10,408 --> 00:29:12,491
were three pieces
of Florida pine,
565
00:29:12,585 --> 00:29:15,160
about the same size
as a telephone pole.
566
00:29:15,255 --> 00:29:19,665
He used five-ton chains,
he used a-a ten-ton chain hoist,
567
00:29:19,759 --> 00:29:24,153
yet somehow was able to
impossibly lift stones
568
00:29:24,180 --> 00:29:27,431
that were wider
than the tripod's diameter,
569
00:29:27,591 --> 00:29:29,658
that were taller
than the tripod stood,
570
00:29:29,686 --> 00:29:33,420
that weighed more
than the chains were rated for.
571
00:29:33,481 --> 00:29:35,681
Well, he didn't lift a,
a 20-ton stone
572
00:29:35,775 --> 00:29:38,258
with a five-ton, uh,
block and tackle,
573
00:29:38,319 --> 00:29:42,262
but he definitely found a way
to lever the stone up.
574
00:29:42,323 --> 00:29:44,006
There has to be
some other technology
575
00:29:44,033 --> 00:29:47,285
being used here, or this is one
of the best magic tricks
576
00:29:47,445 --> 00:29:49,345
ever pulled over on mankind.
577
00:29:49,372 --> 00:29:52,272
So, what could it have been?
578
00:29:52,333 --> 00:29:56,352
Did he learn some unique
mechanical trick,
579
00:29:56,379 --> 00:29:58,278
or did he learn
some new physics?
580
00:29:58,339 --> 00:30:02,191
He was found often
at the public library,
581
00:30:02,218 --> 00:30:04,043
studying the Egyptians,
582
00:30:04,137 --> 00:30:07,287
studying ancient
megalithic structures.
583
00:30:07,348 --> 00:30:09,882
Ed said he knew the secrets
of the pyramids.
584
00:30:09,976 --> 00:30:12,459
I believe this to be accurate.
585
00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:15,796
He was able to replicate
their accomplishments,
586
00:30:15,857 --> 00:30:18,040
which enabled him to be able
to create something
587
00:30:18,067 --> 00:30:21,377
which, by any other standard,
you cannot do.
588
00:30:21,404 --> 00:30:25,230
Did Edward Leedskalnin
actually crack
589
00:30:25,325 --> 00:30:27,883
the engineering secrets
of the Great Pyramids?
590
00:30:27,910 --> 00:30:32,221
There are those who believe
the answer is yes,
591
00:30:32,248 --> 00:30:35,708
and that one of the secrets
involves magnetism.
592
00:30:37,211 --> 00:30:39,244
One of the most curious things
that Ed designed
593
00:30:39,339 --> 00:30:41,339
was called
a perpetual motion holder.
594
00:30:41,499 --> 00:30:42,915
You could find a drawing of it
595
00:30:43,009 --> 00:30:45,826
on the cover of his booklet,
Magnetic Current.
596
00:30:45,887 --> 00:30:47,753
He created something
that is made from
597
00:30:47,847 --> 00:30:50,255
a 1�-inch-thick steel bar,
598
00:30:50,350 --> 00:30:55,836
a mile of coil of copper wire
with a bar on top,
599
00:30:55,897 --> 00:30:59,339
and if you lock these coils
together with current,
600
00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,192
this current will run through
this device forever
601
00:31:01,352 --> 00:31:03,252
and never leave it.
602
00:31:03,279 --> 00:31:07,106
Magnetism can in fact
levitate very large objects,
603
00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,258
but you have to have
what is called
604
00:31:09,285 --> 00:31:11,535
superconducting technology.
605
00:31:11,695 --> 00:31:15,188
You have to cool down,
cool down helium,
606
00:31:15,249 --> 00:31:17,858
for example, to near,
near absolute zero
607
00:31:17,919 --> 00:31:21,212
before you get
superconducting magnets.
608
00:31:21,372 --> 00:31:25,532
Ed claims in his notes that
he used reverse energy,
609
00:31:25,593 --> 00:31:27,701
or antigravity.
610
00:31:27,762 --> 00:31:29,795
The question is,
what did he mean by this?
611
00:31:29,889 --> 00:31:32,539
The device that Ed used
or allegedly used
612
00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:35,375
to move these rocks
were an old-school tripod
613
00:31:35,436 --> 00:31:37,895
that had a large black box
on top of it.
614
00:31:38,055 --> 00:31:40,380
We don't know
what was in that box
615
00:31:40,441 --> 00:31:42,233
and Ed never says
what was in that box.
616
00:31:42,393 --> 00:31:44,810
We could speculate
that it's some device
617
00:31:44,904 --> 00:31:46,887
that he's created
that enables him to lift
618
00:31:46,948 --> 00:31:48,722
more weight than he should
be able to lift
619
00:31:48,783 --> 00:31:52,410
with this rudimentary tripod
fulcrum and lever system.
620
00:31:52,570 --> 00:31:57,564
But we have no idea
what it was he did.
621
00:31:57,625 --> 00:32:00,584
What makes the Coral Castle
so unique and mysterious
622
00:32:00,744 --> 00:32:02,736
is that no one
has ever been able
623
00:32:02,797 --> 00:32:05,981
to replicate his results
using his methods.
624
00:32:06,008 --> 00:32:09,802
What this means is that he knew
something that we do not know.
625
00:32:14,016 --> 00:32:15,582
Whatever secrets
626
00:32:15,643 --> 00:32:18,102
Edward Leedskalnin used
to build Coral Castle,
627
00:32:18,262 --> 00:32:21,163
he took to his grave.
But why?
628
00:32:21,190 --> 00:32:25,000
Perhaps the answer
can be found 6,500 miles away,
629
00:32:25,027 --> 00:32:29,596
inside the ultimate
engineering marvel of all time:
630
00:32:29,657 --> 00:32:32,533
the Great Pyramid at Giza.
631
00:32:37,615 --> 00:32:40,624
Just outside of Cairo, Egypt
632
00:32:40,784 --> 00:32:44,520
stands what is arguably the most
famous structure on Earth:
633
00:32:44,547 --> 00:32:47,948
the Great Pyramid of Giza.
634
00:32:48,009 --> 00:32:50,801
481 feet high.
635
00:32:50,961 --> 00:32:54,213
756 feet long on each side.
636
00:32:54,307 --> 00:32:57,457
2.3 million blocks of limestone
637
00:32:57,518 --> 00:33:01,061
and granite weighing
6.5 million tons.
638
00:33:02,690 --> 00:33:06,466
But incredibly,
thousands of years after
639
00:33:06,527 --> 00:33:08,060
its first stones were laid,
640
00:33:08,154 --> 00:33:11,063
there's still
three important questions
641
00:33:11,157 --> 00:33:14,049
that have yet to be answered:
642
00:33:14,076 --> 00:33:16,719
What was its purpose?
643
00:33:16,746 --> 00:33:18,887
Who built it?
644
00:33:18,915 --> 00:33:21,890
And how?
645
00:33:21,918 --> 00:33:25,244
The Great Pyramid
is completely bizarre.
646
00:33:25,338 --> 00:33:28,397
Hundreds and hundreds
of brilliant engineers
647
00:33:28,424 --> 00:33:31,400
have made many various attempts
with different technologies
648
00:33:31,427 --> 00:33:34,160
to actually uncover its secrets.
649
00:33:34,222 --> 00:33:36,421
And yet, so far,
we've been unable to.
650
00:33:36,516 --> 00:33:39,241
Mainstream archeologists have
651
00:33:39,268 --> 00:33:41,744
long maintained that
the Great Pyramid was built
652
00:33:41,771 --> 00:33:46,190
some 4,500 years ago
as a tomb for the pharaoh Khufu.
653
00:33:46,350 --> 00:33:50,435
But that assertion has come
under scrutiny in recent years,
654
00:33:50,530 --> 00:33:53,197
owing largely
to the fact that no mummy
655
00:33:53,357 --> 00:33:55,181
was ever found in its chambers.
656
00:33:55,243 --> 00:33:58,927
And there are no
hieroglyphics to be found
657
00:33:58,955 --> 00:34:01,947
on its massive granite walls.
658
00:34:02,041 --> 00:34:04,433
This extraordinary monument
659
00:34:04,460 --> 00:34:08,954
contains the most profound
mathematics and geometry.
660
00:34:09,048 --> 00:34:11,882
Now, why would this
be incorporated
661
00:34:12,042 --> 00:34:15,127
in such a structure
if it was simply a tomb?
662
00:34:15,221 --> 00:34:17,972
There's obviously more to this
story than meets the eye.
663
00:34:21,435 --> 00:34:23,561
The Great Pyramid
on the Giza Plateau
664
00:34:23,721 --> 00:34:26,897
in Egypt is one of the most
magnificent sites on the planet.
665
00:34:27,057 --> 00:34:29,233
One of the seven wonders
of the world
666
00:34:29,393 --> 00:34:31,885
and I don't believe it's a tomb.
667
00:34:31,946 --> 00:34:33,404
I think it's
much more than that.
668
00:34:36,117 --> 00:34:37,966
So could the Great Pyramid
669
00:34:37,994 --> 00:34:41,987
have been built for another,
arguably more useful, purpose?
670
00:34:42,081 --> 00:34:44,473
One that would make more sense,
671
00:34:44,500 --> 00:34:49,753
given the size and complexity
of its construction?
672
00:34:49,913 --> 00:34:52,756
In a paper published by the
Journal of Applied Physics
673
00:34:52,916 --> 00:34:55,667
in 2018, a team of scientists
674
00:34:55,761 --> 00:34:59,263
did some research
on the Great Pyramid
675
00:34:59,423 --> 00:35:02,174
and found that
electromagnetic energy
676
00:35:02,268 --> 00:35:06,270
was present in some
of the chambers when stimulated.
677
00:35:06,430 --> 00:35:09,681
This experiment used very
long wavelength radio waves
678
00:35:09,775 --> 00:35:11,683
and it actually caused
these waves
679
00:35:11,777 --> 00:35:13,426
to be focused
into certain regions.
680
00:35:13,487 --> 00:35:16,521
They realized that
the pyramid's shape
681
00:35:16,616 --> 00:35:20,843
might actually act as a lens
or a focusing mechanism
682
00:35:20,870 --> 00:35:23,679
for radio frequency energy.
683
00:35:23,706 --> 00:35:25,530
One of the things
that's interesting,
684
00:35:25,625 --> 00:35:28,183
of course, when looking
at the Great Pyramid
685
00:35:28,210 --> 00:35:30,869
as a possible coupling
to energy sources is to ask,
686
00:35:30,963 --> 00:35:33,113
"Could it have been
coupling somehow
687
00:35:33,174 --> 00:35:35,615
to seismic or sound vibrations
in the earth?"
688
00:35:35,676 --> 00:35:37,376
I think the real question
would be,
689
00:35:37,470 --> 00:35:39,303
what type of energy
were they trying to focus
690
00:35:39,463 --> 00:35:40,721
or how would they leverage it?
691
00:35:42,975 --> 00:35:44,457
The Great Pyramid sits
692
00:35:44,518 --> 00:35:46,126
very close to a fault line.
693
00:35:46,187 --> 00:35:48,979
So almost like
it absorbs seismic energy
694
00:35:49,139 --> 00:35:51,131
and then gives it
back out again.
695
00:35:51,192 --> 00:35:54,968
So it could have been a
generator of Earth energies
696
00:35:55,029 --> 00:35:57,237
that then would spread out
through the landscape.
697
00:35:58,816 --> 00:36:00,232
Was the Great Pyramid
698
00:36:00,326 --> 00:36:03,068
constructed to channel
power from the Earth?
699
00:36:03,162 --> 00:36:05,478
While the idea
may sound fantastic,
700
00:36:05,539 --> 00:36:09,482
it is one that was pursued
by a man who is credited
701
00:36:09,543 --> 00:36:12,060
as one of the inventors
of modern electricity,
702
00:36:12,088 --> 00:36:15,080
Nikola Tesla.
703
00:36:15,174 --> 00:36:17,007
Nikola Tesla is one of the great
704
00:36:17,167 --> 00:36:19,492
geniuses of the last century.
705
00:36:19,553 --> 00:36:22,404
He wanted to create
wireless technology.
706
00:36:22,431 --> 00:36:25,257
Not with radio,
but through the planet Earth.
707
00:36:25,351 --> 00:36:29,335
And that's why he built
this gigantic tower
708
00:36:29,397 --> 00:36:31,171
in Shoreham, Long Island.
709
00:36:31,232 --> 00:36:35,083
Some people think that maybe
he got inspiration
710
00:36:35,111 --> 00:36:40,513
for his gigantic antenna
from the pyramids of Giza.
711
00:36:40,574 --> 00:36:43,534
There are a lot of parallels
between what Nikola Tesla
712
00:36:43,694 --> 00:36:45,202
was doing, uh, at Wardenclyffe
713
00:36:45,362 --> 00:36:46,778
and the Great Pyramids.
714
00:36:46,872 --> 00:36:50,599
The pyramids don't look
today the way they did
715
00:36:50,626 --> 00:36:52,859
thousands of years ago
when they were first built.
716
00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:56,213
But they had,
on the top of the pyramid,
717
00:36:56,373 --> 00:37:01,034
some conductive material
that made it shiny on the top.
718
00:37:01,095 --> 00:37:04,613
And that's very much like the
Wardenclyffe Tower transmitters,
719
00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:08,041
that you had a conductive
surface on the top of the tower.
720
00:37:08,102 --> 00:37:09,876
And it's really interesting
that the height
721
00:37:09,937 --> 00:37:11,970
of the pyramid
to the base of the pyramid
722
00:37:12,064 --> 00:37:15,607
is the height that Tesla wanted
to build his Wardenclyffe Tower.
723
00:37:17,227 --> 00:37:19,127
Well, due to monetary reasons,
724
00:37:19,155 --> 00:37:21,463
he built a scale version of it
and he didn't build it as,
725
00:37:21,490 --> 00:37:24,633
as high as he wanted it to
and as large as he wanted to.
726
00:37:24,660 --> 00:37:28,470
Tesla wanted it built over
a flowing aquifer
727
00:37:28,497 --> 00:37:30,322
and he said this allowed him
728
00:37:30,416 --> 00:37:32,991
to grip the earth
in order to transmit
729
00:37:33,085 --> 00:37:35,160
this power from
one location to another.
730
00:37:35,254 --> 00:37:39,739
I find it intriguing that
the pyramids are very similar.
731
00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:44,094
So it's very likely that
if the pyramids were built
732
00:37:44,254 --> 00:37:46,412
for some purpose
of absorbing and capturing
733
00:37:46,474 --> 00:37:48,599
and harnessing energy
from the Earth,
734
00:37:48,759 --> 00:37:50,993
that that's what Tesla
was trying to reproduce.
735
00:37:53,105 --> 00:37:55,497
Sometimes we have to look beyond
736
00:37:55,524 --> 00:37:59,759
what might seem like logical
and think illogically.
737
00:37:59,820 --> 00:38:02,946
The question is,
did Tesla get knowledge
738
00:38:03,106 --> 00:38:05,616
from the pyramids
or are the pyramids there
739
00:38:05,776 --> 00:38:07,534
for other purposes?
740
00:38:09,955 --> 00:38:13,198
Ancient Egyptian pyramids
741
00:38:13,292 --> 00:38:15,441
with the ability to harness
the raw power
742
00:38:15,503 --> 00:38:16,852
of the Earth itself.
743
00:38:16,879 --> 00:38:18,520
Preposterous?
744
00:38:18,547 --> 00:38:21,131
Perhaps.
745
00:38:21,291 --> 00:38:25,377
But there are other structures
whose purpose is so baffling,
746
00:38:25,471 --> 00:38:29,556
we have no idea why
they were constructed.
747
00:38:33,979 --> 00:38:36,038
Not all mysterious structures
748
00:38:36,065 --> 00:38:37,606
are as vast as a mansion...
749
00:38:39,318 --> 00:38:42,802
...or as ingeniously
constructed as a pyramid.
750
00:38:42,863 --> 00:38:45,471
Some are much smaller
and appear at first glance
751
00:38:45,533 --> 00:38:47,157
to be rather simple.
752
00:38:47,317 --> 00:38:49,551
That is, until you look closely
753
00:38:49,578 --> 00:38:52,721
and realize that sometimes,
754
00:38:52,748 --> 00:38:56,166
the simplest structures can be
among the most astounding.
755
00:38:59,830 --> 00:39:02,247
In the Diqu�s Delta
of Costa Rica,
756
00:39:02,341 --> 00:39:06,009
there are over 300 stone spheres
of various sizes
757
00:39:06,169 --> 00:39:08,470
scattered across
25 acres of jungle.
758
00:39:10,007 --> 00:39:12,407
Archeological evidence
dates the earliest
759
00:39:12,434 --> 00:39:15,427
to approximately 200 BC.
760
00:39:15,521 --> 00:39:19,523
But why they were made
and who made them
761
00:39:19,683 --> 00:39:21,525
remains a mystery.
762
00:39:23,863 --> 00:39:26,179
All of the spheres in Costa Rica
763
00:39:26,240 --> 00:39:28,198
are carved and shaped, um,
764
00:39:28,358 --> 00:39:30,492
created from
different types of rock.
765
00:39:32,362 --> 00:39:34,946
Over 300 have been discovered.
766
00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:37,115
These range from the size
of a tennis ball
767
00:39:37,209 --> 00:39:40,586
all the way up
to nine feet in diameter.
768
00:39:43,048 --> 00:39:46,291
They're very precise,
they're very abstract.
769
00:39:46,385 --> 00:39:48,677
They're bizarre
in their own right.
770
00:39:51,599 --> 00:39:54,783
The spheres in Costa Rica
are, um, fabulous
771
00:39:54,810 --> 00:39:56,059
and fabulously interesting.
772
00:39:56,219 --> 00:39:58,637
They almost
sort of demand a-a story.
773
00:39:58,731 --> 00:40:01,473
There-there has to be
a story behind it.
774
00:40:01,567 --> 00:40:03,959
And so this of course
has caused people
775
00:40:03,986 --> 00:40:06,628
to wonder a great deal
about where these come from.
776
00:40:06,655 --> 00:40:08,530
Are they man-made
or natural-made?
777
00:40:11,735 --> 00:40:13,410
Some people believe that
778
00:40:13,570 --> 00:40:15,395
the ancient spheres
of Costa Rica
779
00:40:15,456 --> 00:40:18,832
are from Atlantis or from
other lost civilizations.
780
00:40:20,794 --> 00:40:24,980
Different people say
they are navigational tools.
781
00:40:25,007 --> 00:40:29,593
Some people suggest they're even
mapping the stars on the ground.
782
00:40:29,753 --> 00:40:31,911
As the stars and the planets
moved around,
783
00:40:31,972 --> 00:40:34,839
you'd move the spheres around
to match it.
784
00:40:34,934 --> 00:40:38,326
One of the traditions,
uh, that goes way, way back
785
00:40:38,354 --> 00:40:41,754
with the Costa Rica
stone spheres is the idea that
786
00:40:41,815 --> 00:40:45,108
at the center of the spheres,
there's a black stone.
787
00:40:45,268 --> 00:40:48,928
Many of the stones
got cracked open to find
788
00:40:48,989 --> 00:40:50,839
that there was nothing in them,
but some of them
789
00:40:50,866 --> 00:40:53,241
actually did have
a black stone in the center.
790
00:40:55,037 --> 00:40:57,179
How they would know that,
how they would know,
791
00:40:57,206 --> 00:40:59,347
indeed, there was
a black stone in the center
792
00:40:59,375 --> 00:41:01,333
is another mystery in itself.
793
00:41:04,296 --> 00:41:08,006
Just what are
the Costa Rican spheres?
794
00:41:10,293 --> 00:41:13,195
Even with all our knowledge
of the past,
795
00:41:13,222 --> 00:41:16,306
all our modern technology...
796
00:41:16,466 --> 00:41:19,701
we still don't know
why they were carved
797
00:41:19,728 --> 00:41:22,354
so perfectly in stone.
798
00:41:25,859 --> 00:41:30,970
Were the Costa Rican spheres
intended as weapons?
799
00:41:31,031 --> 00:41:35,550
Were the churches at Lalibela
carved deep underground
800
00:41:35,577 --> 00:41:38,403
because there were no other
building materials available?
801
00:41:38,497 --> 00:41:41,906
And what about
the Winchester Mystery House?
802
00:41:42,001 --> 00:41:44,559
Perhaps like the Great Pyramid,
they were built in such a way
803
00:41:44,586 --> 00:41:49,506
that their very construction
would be considered a miracle.
804
00:41:49,666 --> 00:41:54,011
Bait for mankind's
insatiable curiosity.
805
00:41:54,171 --> 00:41:58,348
Something deliberately wondrous
and intended to be among...
806
00:41:58,508 --> 00:42:00,350
The UnXplained.
807
00:42:00,510 --> 00:42:02,602
Subtitled by Diego Moraes
www.oakisland.tk
64425
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