ma-cortes Based on the popular historical novel by Spanish author Ildefonso Falcones and formed by 7 episodes and filmed in numerous places Extremadura , Castilla La Mancha , Castilla León , Madrid , Aragon and Cataluña . The action takes place in 14th century , Barcelona under Aragon Crown , in a world marked by segregation, religious intolerance , social stratum , material ambition , betrayal , revenge and violent riots with deaths and damage to property. Dealing with the social segregation in Medieval Barcelona and the impressive construction of Cathedral Santa Maria del Mar , the greatest Mariano temple ever built and serving as background to the story starred by Arnau. The book and film is set in Barcelona and its main character is Arnau Estnyiol, Aitor Luna , the son of a fugitive serf : Daniel Grao, one of the catedral's workers , as he becomes one of the porters , known as Baxtaisos who contributed to the construction of the church by carrying stones . As the inhabitants of humble slums of fisher decide to built with large efforts here and there the biggest temple dedicated to Virgen Maria . Arnau gradually obtains freedom and eventually achieves a high status in Society , enjoying an enviable positivo .But his enemies to be green with envy and to carry out a conspiracy to be condemned by Inquisition .An absorbing as well as ambitious recreation of Middle Age with an interesting script in which mingles nasty feudal lords, religious conflict , loyalty , faithfullness , treason , vengeance , war , love and plague . Big budget series , the shooting started summer 2016 with 2500 players and extras , 220 animals , 2000 suits and almost 80% was shot in exterior. Cast is pretty good such as Aitor Luna as the unfortunate young who'll work as livery stable cleaner , bastaixo, docker, merchant , subsequently to become himself a notorious noble full of healthiness and richness ,meanwhile he falls in love for twomgorgeous damsels , Andrea Duro , Michelle Jenner . He is son of Bernart Estanyiol well played by Daniel Grao as a fugitive serf who flees to Barcelona when his wife , Natalia De Molina , is raped by a maliciously ruthless feudal lord using his Right of Pernada. Other essential secondary actors giving fine acting are the followings : Gines García Millán as the cruel merchant, his mistreated wife played by Nora Navas and the good priest performed by Tristan Ulloa , among others . Well adapted from La Catedral Del Mar , a nice historical novel by lawyer and writer Ildefonso Falcones, set in 14th century at the height of the Inquisition , this book became surprisingly and quickly an important best seller in 2006 as Spanish as Catalan language . This novel has been translated into 15 languages, at least , and has been sold in 32 countries , the novel has won several literary awards including : Euskadi De Plata , Que Leer Award and Giovanni Boccaccio Award . It has a sequel titled " Los Herederos de la tierra" , published in 2016. This cool TV adaptation was lavishly produced by Antena 3 TV . It displays an evocative and imaginative musical score by the great composer Federico Jusid . It contains a colorful and brilliant cinematography by Teo Delgado , shot on location in several Spanish locations as Caceres, Extremadura ; Aldea Del Fresno , La Pedriza, El Álamo , Park Peñalara, Madrid ; El Espinar , Torreiglesias, Guadamur , Toledo ; Montalban Teruel; Oropesa De Mar, Castellón , Vilanova La Gertru and Barcelona. The great TV series was well directed by Jordi Frades