Saige's WU here once (correctly) asserted that many medieval cathedrals were built as much to glorify their builders and intimidate the populace as to glorify God. In addendum to this, I added:

Cathedrals are still built, but these days a little more thought seems to go into making them honour God (should e exist) rather than their owners. This is because they cost a great deal of money to build, and the church is much, much less rich than it once was. Westminster Cathedral, London has an unfinished ceiling, and visitors are invited to put their spare change in a box near the door to pay for completion. Some might argue that the Catholic Church could probably afford to finish it, but there are other things the money is needed for, and even if there is any available, it may well not be available to the right people. Freedom of religion is a great thing: it means that no practitioner of any faith, has to feel they are kowtowing to the man when they come to worship.