'10/10 masterpiece' period drama hailed 'the very best' is free to stream on Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime viewers have discovered a "masterpiece" period drama that is a "must-watch". Set in 14th-century Barcelona, Cathedral of the Sea follows Arnau Estanyol, the son of a fugitive peasant, who flees with his father from the abuses of their overbearing lord. Arnau acquires wealth through a combination of hard work and good fortune, eventually becoming a nobleman against all the odds. But with this comes difficulty as he finds sympathy with the serfs on his estate, enraging his fellow nobles.

Arnau's life develops during the construction of Santa Maria del Mar, which serves as background to the story. The series was inspired by the best-selling book by Spanish writer Ildefonso Falcones, titled La catedral del mar. The 2006 novel was a Spanish bestseller for a year and has been translated into more than 40 languages, selling millions of copies worldwide.

It also won several awards, including the Silver Euskadi Prize and the Giovanni Boccaccio Award. The book inspired the Spanish historical drama series, which originally aired on Antena 3 in 2018. All eight episodes are available on Amazon Prime.

The Cathedral of the Sea stars Aitor Luna and Daniel Grao as Arnau Estanyol and his father Bernat Estanyol. Abel Vitón, Nathalie Poza, David Venancio Muro and Ana Labordeta also feature in the show.

The series received widespread praise, particularly for the way it depicted the social classes and harsh realities of its time, including the arrogance and brutality of the nobility.

The Cathedral of the Sea has been hit with glowing reviews from fans, with one writing: "Wow this is a masterpiece and a must watch. To be honest, Spanish series doesn't need you to finish the first episode to decide whether you like it or not. This series feels like watching GOT it's soo sooo soo amazing. I recommend everyone who enjoyed Elite and money heist to watch this show."

Another agreed: "I am so glad I stumbled upon this show. This is absolutely one of the best shows I have seen in a good long time. Especially if you are into history based shows. One of the places I never got into was Spain and it has its own past and worth exploring. Bravo! 10/10 Masterpiece. 100% Masterpiece."

A third echoed: "Perfect storytelling of what life in the 13th century may have been like. Loved this series as not too much violence and fighting but a fantastic story. So glad that we have evolved greatly from that century. A must watch for lovers of medieval movies/series. Totally gripping from the start."

Awarding the show a five-star rating, another added: "There are some great "foreign language" TV series, this is one of the very best. If you are put off watching because of subtitles then you are sadly missing out. Has everything a viewer would wish for. Fantastic story telling, great acting and thoroughly absorbing. Highly recommended."