The content of the TV documentary, Megacity: Poland, hosted on the Discovery Channel covers interesting historical and modern sites, attractions and hidden wonders throughout this beautiful European region. The segment not only thoroughly explains the historical significance of each location, but also reveals the present state and future goals of the site. The various stories are told effectively with the support of very informative factual narration / voice over from the host of the show, creative b-roll footage, and allowing the host to preface each different site by conducting a brief humorous and friendly segment prior to a new place being introduced.
The first location revealed takes place in the Wieliczka Salt Mine, which is described to be 900 years old. The mine is a sacred monument to all the mine workers who took part excavating over the past hundreds of years. This particular site is a very popular and major tourist attraction, preserving remarkable underground chapels, sculptures and artefacts made entirely out of salt. The mine consists of a maze of tunnels and as a whole is seventeen times the size of the Vatican City. In total, the mine holds 20 chapels underground. Today, miners are risking their lives to save, preserve and restore this beautiful and historical mine and its eroding carvings.
Poland is known for its steel making business, and therefore the city Nowa Huta, which literally means ‘new steel mill’ in Polish, is revealed in this segment. History explains that the citizens of this city would work in the steel factory, and those who worked in the steel factory, lived in the city. Today, Nowa Huta holds the most modern and efficient facilities in the world. Its current steel factory has the most advanced hot rolling mill in all of Europe, which is conveniently owned by the largest steel makers in the world, ArcelorMittal. The steel sheets made in this factory are shipped out to countries all over the world and are used for everything from car parts to kitchen appliances.
Another interesting and mysterious location discussed in this TV documentary is WWII artefacts located a few hours away from the city Krakow. Scientists discovered Hitler’s underground tunnels, and have yet to find out the true purpose of these unfinished tunnels, if it were meant to be use for military purposes, to test weapons or if it were one of Hitler’s headquarters.
Overall, this TV documentary was very interesting, informative and creatively shot.
Too much summarizing, not enough commentary
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