What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Pillars of the Earth
Ken Follett · Book · 1989
If you loved The Pillars of the Earth, start with The Pillars of the Earth (Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, 2010) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Pillars of the Earth across media.
What hooked you in The Pillars of the Earth was how epic historical scope grounds complex political maneuvering within deeply human struggles.
Start with the source
Adaptation
The Pillars of the Earth
Sergio Mimica-Gezzan · Series · 2010
Films on the same thread
The Lion in Winter
Film · 1968
Shares a thread with The Pillars of the Earth: Political Intrigue.
Much like the power plays in The Pillars of the Earth, this film captures the suffocating tension of royal succession and the brutal cost of intense political intrigue.
The English Patient
Anthony Minghella · Film · 1996
Explores: Forbidden Love, Adultery, Betrayal.
You will appreciate how this story mirrors the grand, sweeping narrative scale of The Pillars of the Earth while focusing on the intimate betrayals of forbidden human romance.
Gone with the Wind
Victor Fleming · Film · 1939
Explores: Survival, Reconstruction Era, Lost Cause.
This epic mirrors the survivalist spirit found in The Pillars of the Earth, placing personal ambition and tumultuous relationships against the backdrop of a changing, war-torn society.
The Name of the Rose
Jean-Jacques Annaud · Film · 1986
Explores: Religious Conspiracy, Clash Between Faith and Reason, Suppression of Knowledge.
If you enjoyed the ecclesiastical power struggles in The Pillars of the Earth, you will find this medieval mystery equally compelling in its exploration of faith and authority.
Series on the same thread
North & South
Elizabeth Gaskell · Series · 2004
Explores: class conflict, social injustice, forbidden love.
This drama shares the social mobility and class conflict themes of The Pillars of the Earth, highlighting how individuals navigate rigid structures to forge their own paths forward.
Roots
Alex Haley · Series · 1977
Explores: Family Saga, Cultural Identity, Oppression and Resistance.
Like The Pillars of the Earth, this generational saga uses a sprawling historical timeline to examine how families endure and adapt through periods of intense systemic oppression.
Wolf Hall
Peter Straughan · Series · 2015
Explores: Royal Court Intrigue, Power Struggles, Ambition.
Fans of The Pillars of the Earth will recognize the high-stakes political maneuvering and ambition required to protect a legacy when the future of a nation is uncertain.
Our Friends in the North
Peter Flannery · Series · 1996
Explores: Thatcherism, Police Corruption, Social Change.
This series captures the same sense of epic social change found in The Pillars of the Earth, tracking how the lives of friends evolve over decades of instability.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
You will find the same commitment to a grounded, community-focused narrative that made the daily life of Kingsbridge in The Pillars of the Earth feel so incredibly tangible.
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
Explores: societal collapse, power dynamics, cyclical history.
This podcast explores the cyclical power dynamics and societal collapse that readers of The Pillars of the Earth will recognize as the engine behind all great historical turning points.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Pillars of the Earth based on actual historical events?
The Pillars of the Earth is a work of historical fiction set in the 12th century. The narrative takes place during the Anarchy in England, spanning the period between the sinking of the White Ship and the murder of Thomas Becket in the fictional town of Kingsbridge.
What is the primary focus of The Pillars of the Earth?
The Pillars of the Earth centers on the construction of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England. The novel explores the development of Gothic architecture throughout the 12th century while detailing the lives of those involved in the building process during the period known as the Anarchy.
Is there a screen adaptation of The Pillars of the Earth?
Yes, there is a television adaptation of The Pillars of the Earth released in 2010. This series is based on the 1989 historical novel by Ken Follett, which chronicles the architectural challenges and political tensions surrounding the construction of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge.
Who wrote the original The Pillars of the Earth novel?
The Pillars of the Earth was written by the Welsh author Ken Follett. Published in 1989, the book is a historical novel that follows the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England, during the 12th century, specifically during the historical period called the Anarchy.