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Climbing Great Buildings

Episode 12: The Liver Building

Duration: 28 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC HDLatest broadcast: on BBC History Channel

Available for years

Dr Jonathan Foyle, architectural historian and novice climber, scales Britain's most iconic structures, from the Normans to the present day, to reveal the buildings' secrets and tell the story of how our architecture and construction has developed over 1,000 years.

The next step of Jonathan Foyle's journey takes him to the Liver Building in Liverpool. Built from 1908, this behemoth in concrete was Britain's first skyscraper that influenced buildings all over the world.

On his climbs Jonathan, aided by top climber Lucy Creamer, scales over 250 feet to reveal how this granite building isn't quite what it seems and investigates how a concrete boat paved the way for this immense skyscraper. He climbs up a disused lift shaft to literally get under the skin of this groundbreaking construction; comes face-to-face with the biggest clock in Britain; and tests the limits of his courage to traverse over a sheer drop of over 200 feet to get up close and personal with a couple of beautiful birds. Show less

Contributors

Presenter:
Jonathan Foyle
Participant:
Lucy Creamer
Camera Operator:
Ian Burton
Series Producer:
Adam Barry
Executive Producer:
Emma Read

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