The
Alta Val di Non/Deutschnonsberg area is home to
two of the oldest religious sanctuaries in Tyrol,
Unsere liebe Frau im Walde (Our Lady of Senale) and
San Romedio. There are two major
pilgrimage routes running through the valley: the
Jakobsweg trail, which connects the most significant places of worship in the area, and the Romedius-Pilgerweg trail leading from Thaur near Innsbruck (the birthplace of the saint, now in Austria) to the early medieval monastery of San Romedio.
The Legend of San Romedio
There are a number of legends concerning St. Romedio, the patron saint of pilgrims and travelers. After returning from a pilgrimage to Rome, it is said that he and his companions settled in Tavon in the Non Valley. Before visiting the Bishop of Trent, he discovered his horse being attacked by a bear. He instead saddled the bear, and managed to reach Trento on the back of this miraculously tamed predator. Even today, the saint is portrayed as a traveller with a pilgrim's staff and a tame bear.