The 'A' of Charlemagne is a relic gifted to the Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy by the emperor Charlemagne himself. It is a gold and silver open triangle with ornate jewels on the arms. The base is stronger and serves more of a structural purpose rather than an aesthetic purpose. The piece served a greater purpose over time as the attraction to the church became more focused on visiting the relic that Charlemagne presented to the church rather than its original function of honoring Saint Faith. The church itself was a common destination of medieval pilgrimage, and the change in purpose for these pilgrimages became highly focused on visiting this relic and attracted a different audience than before.