Ancient Invisible Cities

Produced by BBC Studios for the BBC and PBS, Past Preservers provided development research.

Ancient Invisible Cities explores the hidden secrets of three of the most fascinating cities of the ancient world: Athens, Cairo and Istanbul. 3D scans allow us to view the architectural jewels of these cities as they’ve never been seen before.

In Cairo, the latest 3D-scanning technology reveals the historical secrets of Cairo and Ancient Egypt. Experts explore the first pyramid ever built at Saqqara and find out how it helped inspire the Great Pyramid of Giza. We go in search of a Roman fortress hidden under a Greek Orthodox church. We also explore a 90-meter well carved into solid bedrock beneath the Arabic citadel built by Saladin in the 12th century AD. This remarkable well was built by Crusader prisoners of war, and provided the citadel with water in times of siege.