Vrbno between village history and river nature

Vrbno combines a protected rural heritage zone with the Vrbenské tůně. This offers different points of interest for planning your trip: local history, with its church and farmstead; the wetland landscape along the river; and practical information about cycling and nature trails.

Village history and protected buildings

Vrbno was first mentioned in writing in 1241 and is designated as a protected rural heritage zone. The Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross was originally a Romanesque building from the 12th century and was later remodelled in the Gothic and Baroque styles. The area around the church includes a row cemetery, which served at least in part as a church cemetery.

The protected farmstead No. 21 lies southeast of the church, at the edge of Vrbno’s historic centre and near a former course of the Vltava. The farmstead includes a residential building, a barn or granary, a stable, a carriage house, a perimeter wall and the associated land. The church and farmstead represent different building types: sacred architectural history on the one hand, and a farmstead with several buildings on the other.

Vrbno was divided in the past: one part belonged to the Mělník estate, while another first belonged to the Mléček Vladik family and later to the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star. Its ownership history therefore includes an affiliation with the Mělník estate and a separate succession of owners for the other part.

Vrbenské tůně: landscape and nature

The Vrbenské tůně comprise part of an old arm of the Vltava and a system of pools on the river’s left bank, along the southern and southeastern edge of Vrbno. They cover 43.66 hectares. The area is a peaceful natural setting and a fishing ground, and provides a refuge for birds and amphibians.

As of 31 December 2025, the 3-hectare Tůň Vrbno in the Hořín/Vrbno cadastral area belongs to the VLTAVA 1 A fishing ground. The area figures refer to two different named units: 43.66 hectares for the Vrbenské tůně and 3 hectares for Tůň Vrbno in the fishing ground.

Cycling and nature trails

The Vrbno–Hořín section is part of Cycle Route 7. The Vrbno–Mělník–Horní Počaply cycle route runs along asphalt and paved paths. These provide two different points of reference: a section’s inclusion in Route 7 and the surface type of the Vrbno–Mělník–Horní Počaply cycle route.

The Vrbno–Zelčín nature trail is near ZOOPARK Zelčín, is 3.5 km long and has 13 stops. The trail’s length and number of stops are specified—another planning measure, distinct from a cycling route’s section or surface type.

Tours in Hořín

Hořín is connected to the Elbe Cycle Route (Labská stezka) and is a destination for walking and cycling tours.

Discover more destinations: Dolní Beřkovice, Kly, Neratovice, Vysoká, Nosálov, Úžice, Postřižín, Tišice

For the broader travel overview: Mělník District.