... of the Church created a multitude of martyrs whose tombs would become pilgrimage sites. It was encouraged by subsequent Roman emperors and Church Fathers as more locations were added. By the Middle Ages many thousands of people were traveling to visit shrines all over Europe and the near ... churches were built at this time, probably to accommodate such processions. The decoration of the cathedral was designed to become more ornate as the pilgrim eastward, with a decorative culmination around the original position of the shrine and high altar. The box-like aisled rectangular altar was li...

• Word Count: 4695
• Approx Pages: 19
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School