The question of keeping the Elbe navigable is important, and its weight is shown by the meeting of leading representatives of Czechia and Saxony aboard the Vltava steamer, which took place this Friday during a cruise from Děčín to Bad Schandau.
During the cruise near Dolní Žleb in the Děčín district, the steamer sailed past the statue of St Adalbert, patron of all sailors and boatmen. This baroque statue of the saint from 1756 stands on a hard-to-reach rock above the Elbe, from where it watches over all boatmen sailing the river below and blesses them. The statue bears the Latin inscription "Sanctus Adalbertus ora pro nobis", that is, "Saint Adalbert, pray for us".
It used to be customary for boatmen passing the statue to sound the ship's siren in greeting. Thanks to its position and the gilding of certain details in earlier times, the statue was also a good landmark. During the most recent restoration of the statue, however, this gilding was not renewed.
The saint was greeted by the director of Prague Boats, Jan Hamza, the owner of the Evropská vodní doprava company, Richard Vojta, and Jindřich Zídek, Director of the Lower Elbe operation.
We firmly believe that the question of the Elbe's navigability lies not only in the hands of St Adalbert and that all those involved will manage to find a solution that keeps the Elbe navigable and beautiful for future generations.
