All language subtitles for Building Giants Series 1 Worlds Biggest Church 720p

Narrator:
FIVE GENERATIONS OF ENGINEERS...

♪♪

...ARE ATTEMPTING
THE IMPOSSIBLE.

IT'S LIKE MAGIC, NO?

Narrator: THEY'RE WORKING
TO BUILD AN EXTRAORDINARY

AND COMPLEX SUPERSTRUCTURE --

THE WORLD'S TALLEST CHURCH.

WHEN COMPLETE, THIS
ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL

WILL SOAR MORE THAN
565 FEET IN THE AIR

AND BECOME ONE OF THE WORLD'S

MOST BOLDLY-DESIGNED
HOUSES OF WORSHIP.

I WALKED IN, AND IT WAS,
LIKE, GOOSE BUMPS.

TO BUILD THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND
MASTERPIECE,

THE TEAM MUST BATTLE
DEADLY WINDS...

WE CANNOT AFFORD ANY DELAY,
ANY DISASTER, ANY MISTAKE.

Narrator:
...AND EXTREME HEIGHTS.

YOU'RE CRAZY.

♪♪

Narrator:
THIS INCREDIBLE TEMPLE

RANKS IN A LEAGUE OF AMBITIOUS
ENGINEERING WONDERS

THAT ARE BIGGER, FASTER,

TALLER, AND MORE ADVANCED

THAN ANYTHING EVER
CONSTRUCTED BEFORE.

THIS IS THE INSIDE STORY
OF THE EXTRAORDINARY RACE

TO BUILD THESE GIANTS.

-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

IN BARCELONA, SPAIN,
ONE OF THE WORLD'S

MOST HISTORIC
AND BEAUTIFUL CITIES...

...WORKERS HAVE BEEN LABORING
ACROSS FIVE GENERATIONS

TO BUILD ONE OF THE MOST
ARCHITECTURALLY COMPLEX CHURCHES

EVER CONCEIVED...

...SAGRADA FAMíLIA.

♪♪

ONLY PARTIALLY BUILT
AFTER 135 YEARS

AND CURRENTLY SOARING
330 FEET HIGH,

THIS AWE-INSPIRING CHURCH

ALREADY ATTRACTS 4 1/2
MILLION VISITORS A YEAR.

BUT NOW, THE END OF THIS
EXTRAORDINARY BUILDING

MAY FINALLY BE IN SIGHT.

♪♪

BUILDING BEGAN ON THIS
AMBITIOUS CHURCH IN 1882.

♪♪

WORKERS FIRST BUILT
ON THE FOUNDATION

OF A TRADITIONAL
GOTHIC CRYPT.

THE TEMPLE'S NATIVITY FACADE

WITH ITS 330-FOOT-HIGH
BELL TOWERS

WERE FINISHED IN 1936.

IT'S TAKEN OVER 50 YEARS TO
BUILD THE EPIC PASSION FACADE...

...THEN CONSTRUCT
THE VAST CENTRAL NAVE,

VAULTING, AND TRANSEPTS

TO FORM THE LAUNCHPAD

FOR SIX MIGHTY TOWERS
YET TO BE BUILT.

♪♪

BUT COMPLETING THIS GIANT
WON'T BE EASY,

AND TAKING ON THE FINAL LEG
OF THIS JOURNEY

IS CHIEF ARCHITECT JORDI FAULí.

♪♪

HIS BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS
TO COMPLETE THE BASILICA

WITH BARELY ANY PLANS.

SAGRADA FAMíLIA'S ORIGINAL
VISIONARY ARCHITECT,

ANTONI GAUDí,
DIED ALMOST 100 YEARS AGO,

AND FEW BLUEPRINTS
HAVE SURVIVED.

IT'S A GREAT
ENGINEERING MYSTERY.

THEY'VE ONLY GOTTEN THIS FAR
BY COPYING OLD PHOTOGRAPHS

OF MODELS
AND 100-YEAR-OLD SKETCHES.

♪♪

♪♪

GAUDí WAS A TRUE
ARCHITECTURAL MAVERICK,

PIONEERING UNIQUE
GEOMETRIC FORMS

INSPIRED BY THE NATURE
AROUND HIM -- TREES...

...ANIMALS,

MOUNTAINS.

HE WORKED IN A STYLE
NEVER SEEN BEFORE OR SINCE.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

THIS IS GAUDí'S
OTHERWORLDLY VISION,

THE GIANT JORDI AND HIS TEAM
MUST SOMEHOW COMPLETE.

♪♪

THREE HUGE FACADES
WILL TELL THE STORY OF JESUS,

REPRESENTING HIS LIFE
AND TEACHINGS.

SIX ENORMOUS CENTRAL TOWERS

WILL ALMOST DOUBLE
THE HEIGHT OF THE TEMPLE,

MAKING IT THE WORLD'S TALLEST
CHURCH AT 565 FEET TALL.

COSTING AN ESTIMATED
$1.2 BILLION

AND ALMOST 145 YEARS
IN THE MAKING,

SAGRADA FAMíLIA WILL BE
ONE OF THE WORLD'S

MOST EXTRAORDINARY STRUCTURES.

♪♪

NOW WE ARE FOCUSED
IN THE CONSTRUCTION

OF THE SIX CENTRAL TOWERS.

WHEN THE TOWERS
WILL BE FINISHED,

THE SKYLINE OF BARCELONA
WILL CHANGE.

Narrator: COMPLETING SAGRADA
FAMíLIA'S LANDMARK TOWERS

INVOLVES A SERIES OF UNIQUE
ENGINEERING CHALLENGES.

THEY PLAN TO RAISE
THE TOWERS IN LEVELS,

FORMED FROM PREASSEMBLED PANELS.

MOST PANELS WILL BE MADE UP
OF 16 BLOCKS OF STONE.

THE TEAM MUST CONSTRUCT
SPIRAL STAIRCASES

INSIDE FOUR OF THE TOWERS
AS THEY RISE UP.

ELABORATE STONE FRIEZES
AND EXQUISITE STAINED GLASS

WILL ADORN THE LARGER TOWERS.

♪♪

THE TEAM IS AIMING TO COMPLETE
THE SAGRADA FAMíLIA

BEFORE THE CENTENARY OF GAUDí'S
DEATH, JUST 9 YEARS FROM NOW.

THE FIRST CHALLENGE
IS TO SOURCE THE STONE

TO BUILD THE TOWERS AND FACADES.

GAUDí'S WORKERS USED LOCAL STONE
FROM THE MOUNTAIN OF MONTJUIC,

WHICH IS A UNIQUE
MULTICOLORED STONE.

YOU CAN SEE THE STONE
OF MONTJUIC CAN BE RED,

CAN BE GRAY,

CAN BE KIND OF YELLOW, CLOSE
TO ORANGE-BROWN, THAT GRAY.

IT GIVES A VERY
RICH-COLORED WALL.

Narrator: BUT JORDI'S TEAM
HAS A MASSIVE PROBLEM.

THE MONTJUIC STONE QUARRY
IS NOW CLOSED,

SO THEY MUST FIND A WAY

TO REPLICATE
THE LOOK OF MONTJUIC STONE.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

SO PAU MUST SOURCE THE STONE
FOR THE TOWERS

FROM 70 QUARRIES
AROUND THE WORLD --

GRANITE BLUE BAHIA FROM BRAZIL,

RED PORPHYRY FROM IRAN,

AND THE ONLY QUARRY
THAT CAN DELIVER

THE RIGHT SHADE
OF LIGHT BROWN

BUFF GRITSTONE IS
IN LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND.

♪♪

Armstrong:
WE GOT A CALL FROM BARCELONA
WANTING TO SUPPLY STONE

TO THE SAGRADA FAMíLIA.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS A HOAX,
TO BE HONEST.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE.

Narrator:
QUARRY MANAGER EMMA ARMSTRONG
MUST DELIVER OVER 300 TONS

OF BUFF GRITSTONE
EACH WEEK FOR THE CHURCH.

THE QUALITY OF OUR STONE IS
ABSOLUTELY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT

TO THE PROJECT IN BARCELONA

BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T
OF THE STRENGTH

AND RESILIENCE
THAT IT IS,

BASICALLY, THE TOWERS
WOULDN'T STAND UP ON THEIR OWN.

IT'D COLLAPSE.

WHAT ARE WE UP
TO NEXT, MATE?

WHAT'S NEXT STAGE?

Narrator: NATURALLY OCCURRING
HAIRLINE CRACKS

RUN THROUGH THE ROCK,

BUT EMMA'S TEAM WILL ACTUALLY
USE THESE EXISTING FISSURES

TO BREAK THE STONE OUT.

SO IT'S TAKEN THIS CORNER
OUT BASICALLY.

IT'S JUST TAKING THAT
OUT TO GET BACK...

AND THEN WORK YOUR WAY.
...LEVEL WITH IT OUT.

TO EXTRACT EVERY TON OF
GRITSTONE FOR SAGRADA FAMíLIA...

EMMA IS RELYING ON BLAST
ENGINEER MICK TOODLE.

WE SAY, "THERE'S NO PRESSURE,"

BUT ALL DOWN TO ONE MAN,
LITTLE MICK.

I'M GOING TO DRILL AN HOLE,
AND THEN YOU PUT YOUR CHARGE IN.

♪♪

Narrator: MICK INSERTS THE
DYNAMITE AND GETS THE ROCK READY

FOR THE EXPLOSION.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: THE ENGINEERS OF THE
LANDMARK SAGRADA FAMíLIA CHURCH

MUST SOURCE STONE
FROM ACROSS THE PLANET

TO CREATE ITS SIGNATURE LOOK,

INCLUDING STONE
FROM THIS ENGLISH QUARRY.

THE EXPLOSION FREES
THE 10-TON BLOCK.

NOW THE TEAM MUST CAREFULLY
TEASE IT AWAY FROM THE ROCK FACE

WITHOUT DAMAGING IT.

MICK AND EMMA MUST DELIVER
ALMOST 120,000 TONS OF STONE

FOR SAGRADA FAMíLIA.

EVERY BLOCK MUST BE FLAWLESS.

Armstrong:
WE DO GO AS FAST AS WE CAN, BUT
IT IS A VERY PRECISE PROCESS,

AND IT'S SOMETHING
THAT CAN'T BE RUSHED.

BEING A SMALL FAMILY-RUN
BUSINESS

OVER HERE IN LANCASHIRE,

IT IS QUITE HUMBLING
BUT ALSO VERY SATISFYING

THAT WE'RE SUPPLYING THE STONE
TO COMPLETE

THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED
RELIGIOUS MONUMENT IN THE WORLD.

♪♪

Narrator:
THE STONE IS SHIPPED TO THIS
YARD JUST OUTSIDE OF BARCELONA.

♪♪

NOW THEY CAN START WORK ERECTING
THE SIX CENTRAL TOWERS.

IT'S TAKEN OVER 3 YEARS
OF DETECTIVE WORK

TO FIGURE OUT
EXACTLY HOW TO DESIGN

AND ASSEMBLE THE TOWERS'
INTRICATE STONEWORK.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE TOWERS'
HEIGHT AND DIMENSIONS

WERE A COMPLETE MYSTERY.

FEW CLUES SURVIVE, SUCH AS
THIS SILHOUETTE SKETCH

CREATED IN THE EARLY PART
OF GAUDí'S LIFE

FOR A COMPLETELY UNTESTED DESIGN

THAT SEEMED TO DEFY PHYSICS.

THIS IS ONE OTHER CLUE
THAT THE TEAM HAD TO GO ON --

A MODEL BUILT AROUND
100 YEARS AGO.

THIS RECONSTRUCTED MODEL
IS OF A SMALL, SQUAT TOWER

CALLED THE SACRISTY

THAT GAUDí DESIGNED TO BE BUILT
AT THE REAR OF THE BASILICA.

THE SACRISTY ALSO HOLDS THE KEY
TO THE SHAPE OF THE CHURCHES'

SIX MAIN TOWERS.

ARCHITECT ESTEVE UMBERT HAS BEEN
TRYING TO UNLOCK ITS SECRETS.

THE SMALL BITS BELONGS
TO THE ORIGINAL MODEL.

JUST BY HAVING A SMALL BIT
OF A SURFACE,

WE COULD RECONSTRUCT
THE WHOLE THING.

Narrator: ESTEVE'S TEAM USED THE
MODEL TO BUILD THE FULL-SIZE

130-FOOT-HIGH SACRISTY TOWER,

AND THE SECRETS OF THE MAIN
TOWERS' DIMENSIONS

ARE ALSO CONTAINED
IN THE GEOMETRY

OF THE SMALLER
SACRISTY TOWER.

SO ESTEVE USES POWERFUL SOFTWARE

TO REPRODUCE
THE SACRISTY GEOMETRY.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

METICULOUS DETECTIVE WORK
MAY HAVE REVEALED

THE BLUEPRINTS
FOR THE SIX TOWERS,

BUT BUILDING THEM WILL TAKE
SOME INGENIOUS ENGINEERING.

♪♪

IN THE BEAUTIFUL, PEACEFUL
CATALONIAN COUNTRYSIDE...

♪♪

...THE TOWERS' CONSTRUCTION
IS WELL UNDERWAY.

THE CHURCH'S CITY-CENTER PLOT
IS CRAMMED,

SO WORKERS PREASSEMBLE SECTIONS
OF THE TOWERS

AT THIS OPEN-AIR SITE
50 MILES AWAY.

HERE, YOU CAN SEE
IT'S LIKE A FACTORY.

HERE, WE BUILD
THE SAGRADA FAMíLIA.

Narrator:
IN CHARGE OF TURNING THE
ARCHITECT'S PLANS INTO REALITY

IS VETERAN BUILDER
JAUME TORREGUITART.

HE'S WORKING OUT HOW TO BUILD
THE TOWERS AT HIGH SPEED.

♪♪

HOISTING EVERY STONE
FOR THE TOWERS UP TO THE TOP

OF SAGRADA FAMíLIA INDIVIDUALLY

WOULD TAKE ALMOST 50 YEARS

AND WOULD REQUIRE AROUND
14,000 SEPARATE CRANE LIFTS...

♪♪

...SO JAUME'S TEAM PLANS
TO BUILD THE TOWERS

IN SMALL SECTIONS CALLED PANELS.

SIXTEEN BLOCKS OF STONE
MAKE UP THESE PANELS.

EIGHT PANELS MAKE UP
ONE TOWER LEVEL.

ONCE A LEVEL IS COMPLETED,

JAUME'S TEAM NEEDS TO TRUCK
THE PANELS TO BARCELONA.

ON-SITE, THEY PLAN
TO USE A CRANE

TO HOIST THEM UP TO THE TOP
OF SAGRADA FAMíLIA

AND SLOT THEM
INTO A STEEL FRAME.

THIS NOVEL BUT
UNTESTED TECHNIQUE

SHOULD ALLOW THEM
TO CONSTRUCT THE TOWERS

16 TIMES FASTER THAN
BUILDING THEM BLOCK BY BLOCK.

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

Torreguitart: WE WILL BUILD
THE NEXT 3 YEARS 856 PANELS.

IT'S A LOT OF WORK
AND LESS TIME.

Narrator: JAUME'S TEAM IS AT
A CRITICAL PHASE.

IT'S BUILD THE FIRST PANELS
FOR THE FIRST TOWERS.

THEY ASSEMBLE EACH PANEL
AGAINST THIS GREEN FRAME.

IT ENSURES THAT ALL EIGHT PANELS
FIT TOGETHER PERFECTLY.

IN THIS PANEL,
THERE ARE 16 STONES.

♪♪

WE PUT THE STONE
IN ITS CORRECT PLACE,

PUT THE MORTAR TO BE
IN THIS PLACE FOREVER.

Narrator:
FOUR BOLTS WILL LOCK THE PANELS

INTO THE STEEL FRAME
ON THE TOWER.

DURING INSTALLATION AT THE TOP
OF SAGRADA FAMíLIA,

250 FEET ABOVE BARCELONA, EVERY
BOLT HOLE MUST ALIGN EXACTLY,

OR THE PANELS
WILL BE LEFT HANGING.

♪♪

♪♪

SURVEYORS USE LASERS TO CHECK
THE DIMENSIONS OF EACH PANEL,

TO BE SURE THE BOLTS WILL FIT

AND SECURE THE PANELS
IN PLACE ON TOP OF THE TOWER.

♪♪

♪♪

IT TAKES 3 WEEKS TO BUILD
THE FIRST LEVEL OF PANELS

FOR THE FIRST TOWER,

BUT WILL THEY ALIGN?

THE BATCH OF PANELS SURVIVES
THEIR CROSS-COUNTRY TREK

AND ARRIVES
IN BARCELONA UNDAMAGED.

♪♪

THIS IS THE DAY OF THE BIG LIFT.

♪♪

THIS IS THE ULTIMATE TEST.

JAUME'S TEAM MUST HOIST
EACH 7-TON PANEL

250 FEET TO THE TOP
OF SAGRADA FAMíLIA,

SLOT THEM DOWN INTO A STEEL
HOLDING FRAME,

THEN BOLT THEM INTO PLACE.

ONLY THEN WILL THEY DISCOVER
IF THIS UNIQUE,

UNTESTED CONSTRUCTION METHOD
WORKS IN PRACTICE.

WELL, TODAY, FOR US,
IS A SPECIAL DAY.

FOR US IS PROOF BECAUSE
IT'S THE FIRST TIME,

BUT WE ARE GOING TO ASSEMBLE
THIS PIECE IN ITS CORRECT PLACE.

Narrator: JAUME'S CREW
SECURES THE FIRST PANEL

TO THE 460-FOOT-HIGH TOWER
CRANE BUILT INTO THE BASILICA.

♪♪

THEY HOLD THEIR BREATH
AS THE LIFT BEGINS.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: IN BARCELONA,

ENGINEERS ARE RELYING
ON AN UNTESTED METHOD

TO BEGIN INSTALLING THE PANELS
FOR THE EPIC TOWERS

THAT WILL TOP THE ICONIC
SAGRADA FAMíLIA.

YEAH, GOING TO ASSEMBLE
THE FIRST PANEL.

♪♪

[ CONVERSING IN SPANISH ]

♪♪

JAUME MUST TAKE THE STAIRS
TO THE TOP OF SAGRADA FAMíLIA

TO OVERSEE ITS INSTALLATION.

Torreguitart:
MOVE OVER IN THE LEFT.

♪♪

Narrator:
LINING THE PANEL UP WITH THE
TOWER'S FRAME ON ITS WALLS

TAKES EXPERT SKILLS.

♪♪

[ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]

♪♪

THE FIRST PANEL FITS,

AND THE BOLTS SLIDE INTO PLACE.

♪♪

THIS PIECE IS HERE
FOREVER, FOREVER.

♪♪

Narrator: BUT THE CONSTRUCTION
TEAM CAN'T REST.

THEY WANT TO INSTALL THE ENTIRE
LEVEL, EIGHT PANELS,

BEFORE NIGHTFALL,

BUT JUST AS THEY START
TO LOWER THE SECOND PIECE

DOWN INTO PLACE,

THEY HIT A PROBLEM.

THIS SET OF BOLT HOLES
DOESN'T LINE UP.

WE DON'T KNOW WHY, AND NOW
WE NEED EFFORT A BIT MORE.

♪♪

Narrator: THIS MONUMENTAL BUILD
HANGS IN THE BALANCE.

♪♪

♪♪

THEY USE CLAMPS AND WRENCHES
TO WRANGLE THE PANEL INTO PLACE.

♪♪

SOME EXTRA MUSCLE POWER FINALLY
FORCES THE BOLT HOLES INTO LINE.

♪♪

♪♪

JAUME'S CREW PUSHES HARD TO
INSTALL THE REMAINING SIX PANELS

THAT MAKE UP THIS
TOWER'S FIRST LEVEL.

WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THEM,
AND WE WANT TO LIFT UP QUICKLY.

♪♪

Narrator:
THEIR INNOVATIVE PREFABRICATED
PANEL-BUILDING TECHNIQUE

IS WORKING.

♪♪

IT TAKES THE FULL DAY
TO SLOT ALL EIGHT PANELS

THAT MAKE UP THE TOWER'S
FIRST LEVEL INTO POSITION.

WE LEARN EVERY DAY ANOTHER NEW
SYSTEM, ANOTHER NEW TECHNOLOGY.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: COMPLETING WORK ON
THE TOWERS WILL TAKE ALMOST

6,500 TONS OF STONE.

EMMA'S TEAM AT
THE LANCASHIRE QUARRY

MUST CONTINUALLY PRODUCE
TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND.

Armstrong: WE CANNOT KEEP UP
WITH THE DEMAND FROM BARCELONA.

AS FAST AS WE CAN PRODUCE,
THEY'RE USING IT.

♪♪

THE QUANTITY IS...
IS GOOD.

Narrator:
A GEOLOGIST FROM SAGRADA FAMíLIA
MAKES REGULAR VISITS

TO CHECK THAT THE QUALITY
OF THE STONE IS CONSISTENT.

Armstrong: IT IS A CRITICAL JOB

BECAUSE THE TOWERS HAVE
TO BE STRUCTURALLY STRONG,

AND THIS STONE IS THE ONLY STONE

THAT THEY FOUND
TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL.

THE QUALITY OF THE STONE
IS PERFECT.

Narrator:
ONCE EACH BATCH IS SIGNED OFF,
SOME OF IT IS DELIVERED

TO THESE EXPERT
CRAFTSMEN IN BARCELONA.

THEY SHAPE EACH PIECE BASED
ON THE TEAM'S STUDY

OF GAUDí'S MODELS AND SKETCHES.

Man:
WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE
STONE, IT'S LIKE A CONNECTION

YOU SPEAK WITH IT
AND IT SPEAKS WITH YOU.

Narrator: GALICIAN STONEMASONS
EMILIO AND ALESSANDRO

ARE SCULPTING FLOWERS,
LEAVES, AND LETTERS

THAT WILL FORM PART OF ONE
RELIEF FOR THE TOWER EXTERIOR.

♪♪

Man: IT'S A VERY BIG JOB.

TO DO ALL THE STONES BY HAND
WILL TAKE HALF A YEAR,

YES, I IF HAVE
TO DO ALL BY HAND.

♪♪

Narrator:
TO SPEED UP THE OPERATION,
HIGHLY SPECIALIZED ROBOTS

FORM THE ROUGH OUTLINES
OF THE FLOWERS AND PETALS.

♪♪

BUT ROBOTS CAN'T REPLACE
THE DEXTERITY OF THE HUMAN HAND.

ONCE CUT, IT'S UP TO
EMILIO AND ALESSANDRO

TO CARVE THE STONE RELIEFS.

Man: THE ROBOTS,
THEY DON'T HAVE FEEL,

AND WE'RE BRINGING
THE STONE TO LIFE.

WE BRING THE STONE TO LIFE
WORKING BY HAND.

♪♪

Narrator: SMOOTH SURFACES
ON THE LEAVES AND PETALS

MAKE THEM LOOK CLOSER.

♪♪

DEEPER, HARDER CHISEL STRIKES

GIVE THE IMPRESSION
OF DISTANCE AND DEPTH.

♪♪

OH, IT'S LIKE MAGIC, NO,
THE FIFTH DIMENSION.

Narrator:
WITH THE HELP OF THE ROBOTS,
EMILIO AND ALESSANDRO INCH

CLOSER TO COMPLETING
THE COMPLEX STONE RELIEF.

♪♪

DURING THE TOWER
DESIGN PHASE...

[ CONVERSING IN SPANISH ]

...ENGINEERS FACED
ANOTHER CRITICAL CHALLENGE.

THEY HAD TO BE SURE
THAT THE TOWERS

WOULD BE EARTHQUAKE-PROOF.

EUROPE HAS 1,100
GEOLOGICAL FAULT LINES

THAT TRIGGER UP TO
300 EARTHQUAKES EVERY YEAR.

THE TALLER THE TOWERS RISE,

THE MORE VULNERABLE
THEY BECOME TO TREMORS

THAT MIGHT STRIKE THE REGION.

FORCES PUSHING FROM THE SIDES
OF THE TOWERS, LIKE EARTHQUAKES,

COULD CAUSE THE PANELS
TO COLLAPSE.

ANY LATERAL FORCES
LIKE WIND OR EARTHQUAKES

WILL MAKE THIS
BLOCKS FALL EASILY.

Narrator: PAU'S TEAM NEEDS TO
SQUEEZE THE BLOCKS IN EACH PANEL

TOGETHER TO INCREASE
THE RIGIDITY OF THE TOWERS.

Millet: SO IF WE PUT THE BLOCKS
IN COMPRESSION

AND WE CAN AVOID
THAT THIS BLOCKS COLLAPSE

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS
OR THE EARTHQUAKES,

AND THEN THIS IS STABLE.

THERE'S NO WAY THIS CAN FALL.

♪♪

Narrator:
THE EASIEST WAY TO COMPRESS
THE STONES IN EACH PANEL

WOULD BE TO WRAP THEM
IN STEEL CABLES.

BUT THIS WOULD RUIN
THE LOOK OF THE TOWERS.

THEY MUST LOOK LIKE STONE
FROM THE OUTSIDE.

ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO BRACE
THE TOWERS FROM THE INSIDE,

BUILDING A SUPPORTING
FRAME OF STEELWORK,

BUT THIS WOULD BLOCK
THE SPACE NEEDED

FOR THE SPIRAL
STAIRCASES INSIDE.

IN ORDER TO BRACE THE WORLD'S
TALLEST CHURCH

WITHOUT COMPROMISING
ON ITS BOLD DESIGN,

ENGINEERS MUST COME UP
WITH AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator:
IN BARCELONA, THE WORLD'S
TALLEST CHURCH IS BEING BUILT,

BUT IN TRYING TO COMPRESS THE
STONES FOR ITS ICONIC TOWERS...

Man:
YOU CAN CONNECT TO THE STEEL
COLUMN TO HOLD THE PANEL UP.

...THE ARCHITECTS GET HELP FROM
A TEAM OF BRITISH ENGINEERS.

TOGETHER, THEY DEVISE
AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION

THAT WON'T COMPROMISE
GAUDí'S DESIGN.

SO WHEN WE HAVE EARTHQUAKES,
THIS STEELWORK GIVES US

THE ABILITY TO BEND ELEMENTS
AND ABSORB ENERGY.

THEIR SOLUTION IS TO INCORPORATE
A SECRET STEEL SKELETON

INSIDE THE TOWER STONE.

SETS OF STEEL TENDONS
WILL RUN THROUGH EACH PANEL.

TIGHTENING THESE TENDONS
WILL LOCK THE STONES TOGETHER.

ONCE LOCKED INTO THE HIDDEN
STEEL FRAME,

THE TOWERS LOOK
LIKE SOLID STONE.

BRACED LIKE THIS, THEY CAN
RESIST ALMOST ANY LATERAL FORCES

SUCH AS HIGH WINDS
OR EARTHQUAKES.

THAT'S THE THEORY.

NOW THEY MUST PUT
IT INTO PRACTICE.

Millet: WE'RE GOING
TO BEGIN PRODUCTION,

AND IT'S TIME TO SEE,
IN REALITY, HOW DOES IT WORK?

♪♪

Narrator: AT THE PREFABRICATION
YARD JUST OUTSIDE BARCELONA,

JAUME'S TEAM MUST THREAD
THESE STAINLESS-STEEL TENDONS

DOWN THROUGH THE NEXT
BATCH OF TOWER PANELS.

♪♪

WORKERS USE HYDRAULIC JACKS
TO PRESS THE BLOCKS TOGETHER

TO FORM A SOLID UNIT.

♪♪

AS THE JACKS SQUEEZE
THE PANEL TIGHT,

THE TEAM TIGHTENS THE NUTS
AT THE ENDS OF THE STEEL BARS

RUNNING THROUGH THE BLOCKS,
LOCKING THEM IN PLACE.

♪♪

ON-SITE IN BARCELONA,

THE NEXT BATCH OF
EARTHQUAKE-PROOF PANELS ARRIVES.

♪♪

NOW JAUME'S TEAM MUST BEGIN
BUILDING THE LARGER TOWER

AT THE REAR OF THE TEMPLE.

EACH OF THESE PANELS
WEIGHS 10 TONS,

3 TONS MORE THAN THE PANELS
OF THE SMALLER TOWERS.

THAT'S A LOT OF EXTRA WEIGHT
TO KEEP UNDER CONTROL.

THE ENEMY TODAY FOR US
IS THE WIND.

A STRONG WIND CAN
TAKE DOWN THE CRANE.

♪♪

Narrator: HEAVY ONSHORE WINDS
FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

BLASTS THE CITY, AND GUSTS
AT THE TOP OF THE BASILICA

ARE FAR STRONGER
THAN AT GROUND LEVEL.

AT THE MOMENT,
THE WIND IS CORRECT,

AND WE ARE GOING TO START.

Narrator:
CRANE DRIVER JOSE SCALES THE
460-FOOT-HIGH TOWER CRANE.

♪♪

♪♪

[ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]

IF THE WIND CATCHES
THE 10-TON PANEL,

IT COULD ACT LIKE A SAIL,
SWINGING WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL,

SMASHING INTO THE BASILICA.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

♪♪

[ CONVERSING IN SPANISH ]

IT TAKES A STEADY HAND

TO GUIDE THE FIRST TWO PANELS
INTO PLACE

AS THE WIND
SLOWLY PICKS UP.

♪♪

AS THE GUSTS HIT
37 MILES PER HOUR...

JAUME GETS SOME BAD NEWS.

THE WINDS ARE TOO STRONG
TO INSTALL THE PANELS.

♪♪

I DON'T MAKE THE LIFT.

Narrator: IN THE SEASIDE CITY
OF BARCELONA,

WORKING THROUGH WINDS LIKE THESE

TO COMPLETE THE WORLD'S
TALLEST CHURCH

IS A CONSTANT BATTLE.

♪♪

Narrator:
IN BARCELONA, SPAIN,

AT THE SITE OF ONE OF THE
WORLD'S MOST UNIQUE CHURCHES,

STRONG WINDS THREATEN
TO SHUT DOWN THE OPERATION

TO BUILD THE TOWERS
THAT WILL MAKE SAGRADA FAMíLIA

THE WORLD'S TALLEST CHURCH.

Torreguitart: THE WIND
IS GOING UP MINUTE BY MINUTE.

I DON'T KNOW.

WE HAVE TO WAIT.

♪♪

Narrator: THE FOLLOWING DAY,
THE GUSTS DIE DOWN...

...AND JAUME CAN CONTINUE
TO PUSH THE TOWERS SKYWARDS.

♪♪

WE NEED THE BEST
WEATHER CONDITIONS.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: TOUCHDOWN.

[ CONVERSING IN SPANISH ]

AND WITH ITS STEEL TENDONS
SECURED,

THIS PIECE OF GAUDí'S
SKY-HIGH JIGSAW

SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE
A POUNDING FROM THE WINDS

AND EARTHQUAKES
FOR CENTURIES TO COME.

♪♪

AS THE SIX CENTRAL TOWERS
CONTINUE TO RISE,

ANOTHER TEAM IS HARD AT WORK
MAKING THE ORNATE STAINED GLASS

THAT WILL SIT INSIDE
SOME OF THE WINDOWS.

THE CHURCH'S VISIONARY
ARCHITECT, GAUDí,

LEFT BARELY ANY INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE STAINED GLASS,

SO IT'S UP TO GLASS ARTIST
JOAN VILA-GRAU

TO DEVISE A DESIGN GAUDí
WOULD APPROVE OF.

LIKE THE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS
BUILDING THE CHURCH,

JOAN HAS SPENT DECADES ON THIS,

AND IS PASSING HIS SKILLS
DOWN TO HIS SON, TONI.

♪♪

Vila-Grau:
MY GRANDFATHER WAS PAINTER.

MY FATHER WAS A PAINTER.

I AM A PAINTER.

TONI IS WORKING TOO
IN PAINTINGS.

♪♪

Narrator:
WORKERS USE TRADITIONAL
STAINED-GLASS TECHNIQUES

TO REALIZE JOAN'S DESIGNS.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

FINALLY, JOAN AND TONI'S
BEAUTIFUL WINDOWS

CAN BE INSTALLED
IN THE TOWERS.

♪♪

♪♪

THE NAVE OF SAGRADA FAMíLIA,
COMPLETED IN 2010,

SHOWCASES SOME OF THE 17,900
SQUARE FEET OF STAINED GLASS

CONTAINED WITHIN THE BASILICA.

THE LIGHT STREAMING THROUGH
COLORS THE PILLARS AND WALLS.

Woman: I WALKED IN,
AND IT WAS, LIKE, GOOSE BUMPS,

JUST COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY
BY THE LIGHT,

THE COLOR,
THE STRUCTURES.

Vila-Grau: CHOOSING WHAT COLORS
WE'D NEED ON

ONE SIDE AND ANOTHER
WAS TO CREATE

A KIND OF MYSTIC AMBIANCE.

♪♪

Narrator: IN THE MORNING, THE
SUN SHINES THROUGH THE EAST SIDE

OF THE NAVE,

BATHING THE BASILICA
IN BLUE LIGHT.

IN THE EVENING,
THE SPACE TURNS RED

AS THE WEST SIDE ILLUMINATES.

♪♪

♪♪

OUTSIDE, THE TEAM IS
PICKING UP THE PACE,

ERECTING THE CHURCH'S TOWERS.

THIS NEW STONEWORK WILL ADD
AN EXTRA 6,500 TONS OF WEIGHT

TO THE ROOF.

THAT'S ALMOST AS MUCH
AS THE EIFFEL TOWER

ON TOP OF THE BUILDING.

SUPPORTING THIS IMMENSE WEIGHT
CREATES A HUGE CHALLENGE.

♪♪

THE BUILDERS OF TRADITIONAL
GOTHIC CHURCHES

FOUND AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION
TO SUPPORT THEIR TOWERS.

THIS IS COLOGNE CATHEDRAL,

WHICH TOOK A STAGGERING
632 YEARS TO COMPLETE.

IT'S CURRENTLY THE WORLD'S
TALLEST TWIN-SPIRE CHURCH,

SOARING 515 FEET HIGH.

THE INCREDIBLE STRUCTURE
WAS MADE POSSIBLE

BY USING
FLYING-BUTTRESS TECHNOLOGY --

HUGE STONE ARCHES THAT PROP UP
THE CATHEDRAL'S IMMENSE WALLS.

THE BUTTRESSES TRANSFER
THE WEIGHT OF ALL THE STONE

DOWN INTO THE GROUND

AND STOP THE STRUCTURE
FROM COLLAPSING.

♪♪

WHEN COMPLETE, SAGRADA FAMíLIA
WILL SOAR 50 FEET TALLER

THAN COLOGNE CATHEDRAL.

♪♪

ITS PIONEERING ENGINEERS
NEEDED TO FIND A WAY

TO SUPPORT THE TOWERS,

BUT THEY FACED A CONUNDRUM.

GAUDí DISLIKED
FLYING BUTTRESSES.

HE CONSIDERED THEM TO BE UGLY,
UNNATURAL CRUTCHES.

♪♪

Faulí: BUT THIS IS NOT
ONLY QUESTION OF WEIGHT.

ALSO, IT'S A QUESTION OF FORM.

Narrator: THE ARCHING EFFECT
OF FLYING BUTTRESSES

WOULD'VE TRANSFERRED THE WEIGHT
ABOVE DOWN INTO THE GROUND.

BUT THE BUTTRESSES
WOULD'VE BLOCKED THE LIGHT

STREAMING THROUGH
THE STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS

AND RUINED THE EFFECT
OF THE FACADES,

AND FOR AN INTERIOR LIKE THIS,
THAT'S NOT AN OPTION.

TO SUPPORT THE INCREDIBLE
WEIGHT OF THIS MEGACHURCH,

THE ARCHITECT, GAUDí,

HAD TO USE AN ALTOGETHER
DIFFERENT APPROACH.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: TO SUPPORT THEIR
INCREDIBLE WEIGHT,

THE WORLD'S BIGGEST CHURCHES

TRADITIONALLY USED
FLYING BUTTRESSES,

BUT FOR SAGRADA FAMíLIA,

GAUDí MOVED THE ARCHES
INSIDE THE BASILICA

AND SUPPORTED THEM
WITH 56 MASSIVE COLUMNS.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE
AND ALMOST 100 YEARS

BEFORE THE TOWER BUILD BEGAN,

GAUDí HAD FOUND A WAY
TO CHANNEL THEIR WEIGHT

DOWN INTO THE GROUND

AND FREE SAGRADA FAMíLIA
FROM THE FLYING BUTTRESSES.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Faulí: IT'S EXTRAORDINARY.

IT'S VERY INGENIOUS.

Narrator: THE FOUR COLUMNS
TAKING THE HEAVIEST LOAD

BENEATH THE MAIN TOWER ARE MADE
OF RED IRANIAN PORPHYRY,

ONE OF THE STRONGEST
STONES IN THE WORLD.

♪♪

♪♪

THANKS TO GAUDí'S
FORWARD-THINKING DESIGN,

WHEN TOPPED OUT, THE WORLD'S
TALLEST CHURCH TOWERS

WILL HAVE ALL
THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.

♪♪

FINALLY, AFTER 135 YEARS,
AN ESTIMATED $1.2 BILLION,

AND A WHOLE LOT
OF ENGINEERING INGENUITY,

WORKERS HERE HAVE
DECODED THE MAVERICK,

THE MYSTERIOUS VISION OF GAUDí.

IT'S A BIG HONOR
AND A BIG RESPONSIBILITY

TO FEEL YOU ARE PART OF HISTORY
DEVELOPING THIS PROJECT.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: THE TEAM IS WELL
ON THEIR WAY TO FINISHING

SAGRADA FAMíLIA'S
MASSIVE CROWNING TOWERS,

TO FINALLY COMPLETE THIS
EXTRAORDINARY STRUCTURE IN TIME

FOR THE CENTENARY OF GAUDí'S
DEATH IN JUST UNDER 10 YEARS.

THE TOWER IS GROWING TO THE TOP.

♪♪

♪♪

I FEEL THAT WE ARE
CONTINUING HISTORY.

Narrator: POPULARLY KNOWN
AS GOD'S ARCHITECT,

GAUDí IS FAMED TO HAVE SAID,
"MY CLIENT IS IN NO HURRY,"

BUT IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE
SAGRADA FAMíLIA IS COMPLETE,

AND GAUDí'S CLIENT WILL HAVE
THE WORLD'S TALLEST CHURCH.

♪♪