I checked around the forum search and nothing came up, so I am assuming that no one has ever posted this place. If so, my apologies.

One of my favorite unusual places in Madrid (actually, just outside of it) is the cathedral that a former monk named Justo Gallego is building in a nearby town east of Madrid called Mejorada del Campo. I have been there twice and love it.

Justo began building it I believe back in the 1960s and has been working on it ever since. Now he is something like 87 years old, but he still goes there every day. He's a friendly man and very approachable.

His cathedral is built mainly of recycled material and even though he's still got a ways to go, it is impressively more advanced than I ever expected.

Concern about the future of the building (especially when Justo passes away or is no longer able to continue) is an issue since the Church doesn't support his cause and he has built the think smack in the middle of the town without any building permit. Another factor may be determining just how sound the structure really is. But for the moment, it is still under construction.

Every year thousands of mainly foreign visitors come to admire and even help out. It's funny. The Spanish seem generally unimpressed for some reason.

I recommend seeing the place because it is one of a kind and a testimony to what a person can do when he has the drive to live his dream. And you can meet Justo himself!

The best way is by car...O'Donnell to the R3 and about ten minutes to the exit for Mejorada. YOu can see the blue frame of the dome rising from the town on your left as you approach the exit.

I'm sure there are buses too...but I'll have to get that info to you later.

This was featured on Paul Merton's Spain episode. It was very interesting.

Well, there you have it. As I was saying, for some reason, this man gets mainly international attention. On both visits I would say that 80% of the others wandering around were not Spanish. One woman was doing prep worl for a documentary and even toying with the idea of setting up an associaton to support the cause.

I'll have to check out the episode you mention. Thanks.

yes I know about it but it just a curiosity and yes many foreigners go for something new. All kinds of choices out there.

That's a good point, pedmar. These are the kinds of things that grab a foreign visitor's attention. I think the chance to see this place first hand (it's a lot bigger and more impressive than I expected to be) and actually have the chance to meet its maker personally as he works, is a rare treat. Well worth it.

I found the buses:
Linea 282 - leaving from Avenida de America
Línea 341 - Leaving from Conde Casal

exactly thats what I always said in forums, you need the mix of visitors and locals to have a good site; what the locals see and what the visitor see are two different worlds and thats in every country. I have lived in four including Madrid Spain so talking from experience.