'I'd build it all again but twice as big': Former monk spends 50 YEARS creating a giant cathedral from junk

• Justo Gallego Martinez has worked on the building at Mejorada del Campo near Madrid since the early 1960s
• He had no architectural training and no construction experience and had never laid a brick before in his life
• The former Trappist monk vowed to build the cathedral after surviving a bout of tuberculosis

By Steve Nolan

Published: 11:10 EDT, 27 August 2013 | Updated: 13:34 EDT, 27 August 2013

With its giant spires and magnificent dome to rival that of St Peter's Basillica, Mejorada del Campo's impressive cathedral looks like it has been skilfully crafted by a team of architectural experts.

It's impossible to believe that it has been single-handedly built by a former trappist monk who had never laid a brick in his life.

The as yet unfinished building, a little over 12 miles outside of Madrid, has been painstakingly built piece by piece over 50 years by 86-year-old farmer Justo Gallego Martinez.

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'Act of faith': Justo Gallego Martinez, known as Don Justo, has spent 50 years building a 131ft cathedral from junk in Mejorada del Campo, Spain

Work in progress: Despite five decades of painstaking toil, the cathedral is far from finished

Stunning: A huge dome made from plastic food tubs is the centre-piece of the incredible structure

Beautiful: With its large dome and huge spires, the building is based on St Peter's basilica in Rome and a variety of European churches and castles

Holy: Parts of the building's interior and exterior are painted to depict scenes from the Bible

Novice: Don Justo, pictured working on the building (left), had no architectural training or construction experience before starting to build the cathedral (right)

He had no prior knowledge of architecture and no experience in the construction industry, but instead has spent five decades collecting junk and discarded building material in order to build the 131ft tall structure.

After working as a farmer and bullfighter, deeply religious Mr Martinez - or Don Justo as he is known - spent eight years at a Trappist monastery.

But he was forced to leave when he was struck down with tuburculosis in 1961.

During his illness, he vowed that if he survived it he would build a chapel and name it after the Virgin Mary to whom he prayed while he was sick.

True to his vow, Don Justo began building what he describes as his act of faith in 1963 and despite his lack of skills or building materials, is still working on the project today.

Vow: The former Trappist monk began building the giant church after surviving tuberculosis in the early 1960s

Visitors welcome: The cathedral has never had planning permission but it is believed it is tolerated because it has become a tourist attraction over the years

Makeshift: The cathedral's pillars are made from oil drums with Don Justo scouring the local area and other construction sites every day for waste materials

Dividing opinion: The cathedral's giant towers dwarf surrounding apartments, with some locals said to consider the building to be an eyesore

Construction site: Don Justo estimated six years ago that it might take him another two decades to finish the work he has started

Despite the scepticism of many friends and locals, Don Justo has remarkably managed to build the place of worship without using so much as a crane.

The vast columns of the structure are made from empty oil drums, while the covering on one of the domes is made from discarded food tubes.

But, with Don Justo working on his own aside from occasional help from his six nephews, the cathedral is far from finished with windows left unpainted, one of the domes to be covered and the floor to be completed.

The inspiration of St Peter's Basillica with its huge central dome is plain to see, but Don Justo's ideas were also taken from the White House, and a variety of European castles and churches.

No regrets: The former monk has said that if he had his life again he would start the cathedral over, but this time would build it twice as big

Unfinished: Many of the staircases in the cathedral are left unfinished and the monk says that he might not live to see the cathedral completed

Room with a view: The grounds of the giant building are seen from one of the church's spires - the tallest of which is around 131ft tall

Still going: Don Justo's cathedral is seen back in 1993 after 30 years of building work - it still remains unfinished 20 years on

Don Justo told the BBC: 'When I look at what I've created, it overwhelmes me and I give thanks to the lord.

'If I lived my life again, I'd build this cathedral again only bigger.

'Twice the size, because for me, this is an act of faith.'

The church has never received planning permission, but it is believed that it is allowed to stay by local authorities because it has become something of a tourist attraction.

Homage: The monk has named the cathedral after the virgin Mary whom Don Justo prayed to when he was ill with tuberculosis

Picturesque: The cathedral is pictured surrounded by trees that have grown around the impressive structure

Construction site: The cathedral looks a lot closer to being finished now than it did in pictures taken back in 1993