Cathedral of Justo Gallego Martínez

In Mejorada del Campo, a town of 23,000 about 20 kilometres east of Madrid, stands one of Europe's most unusual churches: a handbuilt cathedral that former Cistercian monk Justo Gallego Martinez began in 1961 and erected almost single-handedly over six decades. After tuberculosis forced Justo to leave the monastery, he vowed to build a church for the Virgin Mary del Pilar and laid the foundation without architectural training, without a building permit and largely from donated or scavenged material. Columns are made from old oil drums, domes constructed from bicycle wheels and plastic pipes. Aktion Mensch and IKEA advertising campaigns brought the site international fame. After Justo's death in 2021, the Catholic charity Mensajeros de la Paz continues the project, working on structural reinforcement and gradual completion.