"Bad Schandau - coming of age" a Bad Schandau Travel Page by iandsmith

Bad Schandau has always had a tenuous hold on life. Its reason for living is also its reason for suffering.
The Elbe has brought benefits to the town and the Elbe has wrought its anger upon the village as well.
People come to this place mainly for one of two reasons. To relax at the wellness centres, be they in your hotel or at the world famous location of mud baths on the outskirts, or to experience the national park right on your doorstep. I came for the latter and was clearly in the minority in early spring but that didn't stop me enjoying it anyway. The walks among the bastei (high places) are, at times, breathtaking.

Within this church there are a hundred photos and, more poignantly, lines with dates scratched on the rear wall. They all refer to floods. The pics to the 2002 flood and the lines cover centuries of inundation, the worst being 1845.
This is indicative of how things can go horribly wrong if your town is situated beside a major river but that same river is also the lifeblood of the place.
Strolling beside the Elbe, as many people do all day, is a pleasant relaxing activity 90% of the time with scenic views across to the other side and beyond.