Labský jez Water structure

Welcome to the village Kly. Right now, you're standing in front of a place that once fundamentally affected the current of one of our largest rivers. In front of you is Labský jez, a water work that, although no longer fulfils its original function, has still left its necessary trail in the landscape. Now, if you look around, you won't see a massive dam in the full force it had a century ago, but your eyes will surely pick up the most important remains. Note above all the massive pillars that protrude from the water and the shores. These concrete and stone supports, both central and coastal, are the silent witnesses of the era when mankind tried to tame nature in order to make trade and transport more efficient by water.

Let us now return together in time more than a hundred years back to the time when the building began. It was one thousand nine hundred eight. At that time it was necessary to resolve the problem of sailing ships in the middle of the Elbe. While the river offered a great route for the transport of goods, its level was not always high enough and stable enough for the safe passage of larger vessels. That is why a plan has been made to build this phenomenon. The construction was not an isolated project, but it was closely connected to the Shallow Hadík. The whole complex was aimed at air water, thus increasing its level so that ships could flow smoothly towards the target. The work was challenging and lasted three years, until in the year one thousand nine hundred eleven the work was completed and the regulation of the Elbe flow was fully exploited.

Now pay attention to the very form of the construction. Even if you eat them today in the bulk of it, you can still perceive the brilliant planning behind this work. The author of the project was the renowned architect Pavel Janák. Janák was the master of his craft and put his experience of space and functionality into this technical work. When you look at the remaining pillars, imagine how the water flowed between them and how the steel structure attached to them. The whole system was designed to be as effective as possible. Apart from the actual lake there was a navigational channel with a sluice chamber. It was this chamber that served as a sort of water lift that allowed ships to overcome the difference in the water level that you created. Imagine the noise of water, the movement of heavy vessels and the work of the people who were operating this system.

It's fascinating to think how much effort and material has been put into the building. Let's stop at some specific data to help you see the dimensions of this project. The total weight of the paid structures, namely those parts that held water directly and formed the body of the poison, was an incredible hundred and sixteen tons. Of this weight, the moving parts consisted of 30 tonnes. These moving elements were key because they allowed to regulate water flow according to current needs or river condition. Imagine the massive steel and concrete that had to withstand the constant pressure of water and eventual Christmas during spring thaw. He was able to contain the amount of water corresponding to one and three thousand cubic metres. It's a quantity we find difficult to imagine these days, but at that time, it was a huge shift in the possibility of using the Elbe for transport.

If we think about the fate of this place now, we'll find that even the strongest buildings have their end. Jez served faithfully for many decades, became a natural part of the landscape in Klych and helped develop the region. However, time was changing and technology was moving forward. In the year one thousand nine hundred seventy-four came the moment when the work of the lake was completed. The reason for this was the construction of a new, more modern lock, which performed its functions more efficiently and safely. After several years, namely in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty, the eatery was officially cancelled. At that time, most of the steel structures were dismantled, which you had just thought through the construction. Only the most resilient parts that you see before you today remain.

Here we come to the part that may interest you. It's a strange feeling for a building that was once the peak of technology, and now it's just a silent reminder of the past. The mystery remains how powerful this project affected the lives of the local population in Klych in times of its greatest fame. Imagine how the landscape around the river was changing, how people moved around here and how eating affected the rhythm of the whole neighborhood. It's a reminder that one constantly looks for ways to control nature, but in the end, nature always finds its way back. Today, the water flows more freely, but the pillars still stand as a monument to human engineering and the ambitions of the early twentieth century.

Notice how this monument is currently written into the surrounding nature. The concrete and the stone of the pillars are gradually wrapped in time, giving them some melancholy charm. It is a place where the history of transport meets, the architecture of Pavel Janák and the natural flow of the Elbe. Even though the ships no longer sail through the sluice chamber and the steel parts are long gone, the spirit of this place remains. It is proof of how important the regulation of rivers for the development of our cities and trade routes was.

Now that you've learned the story of the Elbe Jez, I suggest you observe the stream of the river in silence for a moment and try to imagine the contrast between today's calm and the dynamic that ruled here centuries ago. Walk slowly around the remaining pillars and perceive the atmosphere of this unique water work, which is today registered as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

Thank you for spending time with us on this fascinating piece of history. We hope that you are interested in the story of the Elbe Jez in Klych and that you have gained a new perspective on what you see before you. You can now continue your journey and explore other beautiful corners of the region. We wish you a pleasant rest of the day and a pleasant journey.