Martinez
Gaudi's cathedral is not yet finished. He is buried inside it. Gaudi's cathedral is one of the great attractions if you visit Barcelona on the East coast. The name Gaudi has been given to the street alongside another eccentric Cathedral The man, the monk, who constructed another cathedral, east of Madrid, without planning permission, from waste materials, has just died. On Sunday November 8th 2021. Aged 96. He, too, like Gaudi, wanted to be buried inside his cathedral.
He was a Trappist monk. His name was Justo Gallego Martinez. How do you remember his name? As I suspected, Martinez means son of Martin. Wikipedia explains:
'Martínez is the most common surname in the Spanish regions of Navarre, La Rioja, Cuenca and Murcia. ... It originated as a patronymic surname, meaning "son of Martín" (English: Martin).'
Justo is a Spanish and Portuguese name. It is derived from the Latin Justus. It means, just, honorable or upright. His middle name, Galego, means Galician.
When he was ill with tuberculosis, he prayed for recovery to 'our lady'. He promised that if he recovered, he would build a cathedral in her honour. He duly recovered. He kept his word and built an extraordinary building.
He had no architectural knowledge or plan. He drew the outline, in his family's field, on the ground. He copied various elements of VIP buildings. The Italian dome of the Vatican. The American lobby of The White House (the one with the neo Greek Portico).
Although he was donated bricks by a nearby brickworks, huge amounts of the building were constructed from recycled materials. Bits of old bicycles. Broken glass. Oil drums for the pillars! Amazingly, the building has been declared architecturally sound, by a recent survey.
At first, family, friends, and the Catholic church, and local people and VIPs, thought he was ridiculous. Then they had to admit that his building was successful, if odd.
However, now that recycling is all the rage, his building may be taking it place on the tourist circuit, and amongst buildings which are not just weird, but admired, and to be emulated.
More pictures and text shortly
Useful Websites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justo_Gallego_Mart%C3%ADnez
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Justo_Gallego
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-12088560
(About the Author of this blog, Author Angela Lansbury)
BIOGRAPHY
Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5
The Author of several books, including Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.
Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com
dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com
Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President
Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time
Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;
Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;
Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.
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Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.
Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.
Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.
Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.
Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.
Language and speech workshops in Singapore.
Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.
Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.
Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.
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I also have a blog on comic poems.
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