England 1123. Amidst the bloody conflicts between the nobility, the clergy, and the common people, Philip, the young prior of Kingsbridge, has a dream: to build a cathedral for the glory of God and the honor of His name, unlike anything the world has ever seen. Soon, he, the master builder Tom Builder, his stepson Jack, and the clever countess's daughter Aliena find themselves in a life-and-death struggle. They must overcome this challenge before the pillars of the earth can rise to the heavens.