If you are talking about a God/Goddess Shrine then the reason they were importent would be because they honoured that specific God/Goddess. The shrine was most likely made to send up prayers to that...
A Buddhist Shrine can vary from place to place. The Indian Emperor Ashoka created large stone pillars with sacred Buddhist writings. Other Shrines could include temples or simply statues to the...
Shrines are places of honor or devotion to a saint or a religious hero and the shrine marks some historical event or it calls attention to their work and their existence.