88-year-old Justo Gallego Martínez literally lives at a construction site. He is single-handedly building his own cathedral.
Without any drawings, plans, architects or engineers, investments or support from the official church — he has been doing that for almost fifty years. Despite all these restraints, the cathedral is turning out large and beautiful, and Martinez himself is very happy.
Don Justo’s cathedral is located in a small town called Mejorada del Campo. It is still far from completion, but even now it is a huge building with a 40-metre dome, towers, a cloister and a courtyard
Image credits: Jose Javier Martin Espartosa
This Cathedral s being built by Justo Gallego Martínez who has never studied architecture or civil engineering. He takes his ideas from the drawings of medieval religious buildings
Image credits: Eoghan Macguire
He got the idea of building his own cathedral after he had been thrown out from a monastery
Image credits: Susana Girón
He had to leave the monastery at a young age due to sickness, but still wanted to dedicate his life to God’s service
Image credits: archdaily.mx
Justo Gallego Martínez sold or leased out some of his property to gather some money to start his work. On the remaining land, he began erecting a building, using literally anything he could find
Image credits: Jose Javier Martin Espartosa
He used empty gasoline cans as the foundation of the pillars. He put to work wires, pieces of iron reinforcements and even old cardboard boxes
Image credits: Eoghan Macguire
For several decades he has been living inside the cathedral under construction. Every day he wakes up at 3.30 am and works all day
Image credits: Frank O. Sotomayor
The main gate to the cathedral is open from morning till night Everybody is welcome to enter
Image credits: Frank O. Sotomayor
Justo Gallego Martínez doesn’t charge any admission fee, but there is a donation box, and many visitors are happy to donate
Image credits: Susana Girón
Almost none of the cathedral premises are finished, but the general view is absolutely stunning
Image credits: Jose Javier Martin Espartosa
The cathedral in Mejorada del Campo has become don Justo’s own private monastery, his Church, his own private world, where he simultaneously acts as a senior priest, a bishop, and the Creator
Image credits: sarahglez.wordpress.com
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