Cathedral by the Sea

The debut novel of Spanish writer Ildefonso Falcones, which instantly became a global bestseller. The book was published in over 30 countries, and its circulation exceeded 2 million copies, while Falcones became a recipient of many prestigious literary awards; in... 2018, a television series was made based on the novel. The action takes place in medieval Barcelona, the rich and prosperous capital of Catalonia. The fate of the main character, Arnau Estanyol, is forever intertwined with this city, filled with ups and downs, as his father, a fugitive serf, ends up here in search of freedom, escaping from the tyranny of his master. The cruelty of medieval morals and the lawlessness of the nobility, the stakes of the Inquisition and the plague, intrigues and conspiracies, wars, violence, hunger and blood, deceit and betrayal, love and loyalty — all this against the backdrop of the construction of one of the most beautiful temples in the world, the Barcelona Cathedral of St. Mary by the Sea, which grants strength and light.