Justo Gallego Martínez

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Cathedral of Justo Gallego Martínez. Mejorada del Campo (Madrid, Spain). 2005

Justo Gallego Martínez (b. 1925) is a Spanish ex-monk who has been building his own cathedral in the Spanish village of Mejorada del Campo.

As a young man, Gallego Martínez joined a Trappist monastery but had to leave in 1961 when he contracted tuberculosis. He began to build his cathedral on a plot of land he had inherited from his parents.

He is a farmer. "The plans have only ever existed in my head" and have evolved over time in response to opportunity and inspiration. Nor does he have formal planning permission or building permits from the authorities of Mejorada del Campo -- the town in which it is located (20 km from Madrid under the flight-path to the Barajas airport). Nor does he have the benediction or support of the Catholic Church. After eight years in a Trappist order -- and just prior to taking his vows -- he was obliged to leave, considerably weakened by tuberculosis and the monastic regime. He explains: "It's an act of faith." The cathedral has been bequeathed by him to the Bishopric of nearby Alcalá de Henares.

He says that his building is dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Pilar ("Our Lady of the Pillar"), an advocation of Mary, mother of Jesus, whose main shrine is in Zaragoza. Its dome is 40 meters high. He has worked mainly alone, with the help of his six nephews and of occasional volunteers. Sometimes he had hired an expert at his own expense. He finances his work by renting or selling farmland he has inherited and through private donations. In 2005, an advertisement campaign for the Aquarius soft drink gave him and his cathedral Spain-wide exposure.

Citizens of the area have mixed views on the ongoing project; some view it as a postive tourist attraction while others consider it merely an eyesore that officials have not done enough to prevent.

Most of the building materials and tools he uses for construction are recycled. He uses both everyday objects and excess construction materials donated by construction companies and a nearby brick factory. For instance, the columns have been molded with old petrol drums.

Gallego Martínez lives with his sister near his cathedral.