Santuario di San Romedio

Five churches built against a wall of rock over nine hundred years, between 1000 and 1918, and linked by a staircase of one hundred and thirty steps. It is the most visited place in the valleys, with about two hundred thousand pilgrims a year, and it is looked after by the Frati Minori Conventuali.

Romedio lived between the 4th and 5th centuries. He came from a wealthy Bavarian family, was lord of a castle near Innsbruck and owned salt works in the Inn valley; after a pilgrimage to Rome he gave everything to the Church and withdrew to live as a hermit in the caves that can still be seen right next to the sanctuary, followed by two companions, Abramo and Davide.

The story everyone tells is the one about the bear. Romedio had to go to Trento to see Bishop Vigilio and asked Davide to saddle his horse; the disciple came back saying that a bear had mauled it. Romedio was unruffled and ordered him to saddle the bear, which let itself be saddled and carried him all the way to Trento. At the entrance to the sanctuary a wooden statue recalls the episode.