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Spain's DIY Cathedral

Justo Gallego Martínez, a Trappist monk novice turned farmer, has been building a cathedral on his land in Mejorada del Campo, near Madrid. This isn't any shack -- the dome, modeled on the one at St. Peter's, has a 40 foot (12 m) diameter. Until recently, Martínez financed the work by renting or selling land he inherited. Since the plans didn't have the backing of Catholic Church or any building permits, there was nothing to prevent the partially finished structure from being torn down as soon as he died. Earlier this year, Martínez's fortunes (and his work's chances at survival) got a little help from a rather odd place -- the energy drink Aquarius (a Coca-Cola product) featured the Cathedral and its creator as part of a nationwide ad campaign. After all that exposure, a lot of people are standing up and taking notice.

Related Stories:
·   Aquarius Es Justo [Aquarius web site]
·   Don Justo's Self Built Cathedral [Citynoise]
·   Homemade cathedral in Spain [News from Spain blog]
·   Justo Gallego Martínez [Wikipedia entry]