About twenty km from Madrid is the pocket-size town of Mejorada del Campo. There on a farmland inherited from his menage unit of measurement , Justo Gallego Martínez , improve known equally Don Justo , is edifice an amazing cathedral roofing to a greater extent than than 8 ,000 foursquare meters. It has a huge dome inspired past times St. Peter's Basilica inwards the The Holy See , that is forty meters high as well as 12 meters across. Everything from the walls , columns , staircases as well as flooring are made out of either recycled materials or seconds donated past times local edifice contractors. If yous hold off carefully , yous volition let on the columns are sometime petrol drums.
The projection began to a greater extent than than 50 years agone inwards 1961. Its initiator , Don Justo , is instantly ninety-one years old. Don Justo wanted to drib dead a Roman Catholic monk , but his dream was shattered when he contracted tuberculosis as well as had to exit the monastery. He as well as thus decided that he would serve god inwards which ain means , past times edifice a cathedral.
Photo credit: Jose.Madrid/Flickr
Don Justo was neither an architect nor an engineer , as well as he had no structure experience. What he knew , he learned from books as well as past times consulting photos of cathedrals as well as other famous buildings.
Don Justo worked mainly lone , but for the end 30 years about he has been assisted past times a local as well as his 6 nephews , as well as past times occasional volunteers. Sometimes he would consult an proficient at his ain expense.
The cathedral gained fame when it was featured inwards a Castilian TV commercial , almost a decade ago. Since as well as thus , it has been drawing a steady flow of visitors.
Don Justo says the cathedral is nearly three-fourth finished. The dome is withal non consummate , as well as at that topographic point are a few floors as well as pews to hold upwardly installed earlier religious services tin hold upwardly held here. He has already dedicated the cathedral to the Virgin Mary as well as has named it Nuestra Señora del Pilar.
Photo credit: John Philip/Panoramio
Photo credit: Jose.Madrid/Flickr
Photo credit: www.dimedondeir.com
Photo credit: Jesus Miguel Balleros/Panoramio
Photo credit: Getty Images/CNN
Photo credit: www.dimedondeir.com
Photo credit: www.dimedondeir.com
Photo credit: Cigoto/Panoramio
Justo Gallego Martínez. Photo credit: Getty Images/CNN