90-Year-Old Self-Taught Builder Justo Gallego Constructs Cathedral Alone for 53 Years

Justo Gallego, a 90-year-old Spanish man with no architectural training, has spent 53 years single-handedly building a cathedral in Mejorada del Campo, near Madrid. Using recycled materials and without formal plans or permits, he has erected towers, domes, and crypts inspired by books and photographs of churches and castles. He works alone, occasionally helped by his nephews and visiting students. The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin of Pilar. Gallego acknowledges he will not finish it in his remaining years and hopes the work will be continued after his death. The story is featured in a Great Big Story video.