Reply To: Pilgrimage Churches

[Miranda Jackovich]

Pilgrimage opened the door for all walks of life to practice and take place in church. Even those who weren’t welcomed locally could travel elsewhere to continue practicing their beliefs. ‘The Abbey of Notre Dame, Fontenay’ architecture was built by the monks who lived there. The abbey was made specifically for prayer, created with a simple design in mind because decoration would be considered distracting. They practiced living a simple life, the monks all slept in one dormitory with one set of clothes and straw hay for beds. ‘The Santiago de Compostela’ was constructed with double aisles surrounding the center where Mass would take place. This was done to avoid disturbing service so visitors could see the holy relics quickly and quietly. The architecture that was planned not only served as a religious symbol but incorporated functionality.