Vrané nad Vltavou – Vltava, Nature and Culture

Vrané nad Vltavou between the Vltava and history

Vrané nad Vltavou combines waterways, industrial history, historic buildings and discoveries of the natural world. The Vrané Reservoir shapes the Vltava over many kilometres, while the ferry and locks make the river visible as a space for transport and recreation. Other attractions include St. George’s Church, the history of the paper mill and the Zvolská Homole Nature Reserve.

Early settlement history and St. George’s Church

The settlements of Vrané, then called Vraný, and Skochovice are already mentioned in the founding charter of Břevnov Monastery from 993. A particularly striking architectural monument is St. George’s Church. It preserves a Romanesque apse and a Gothic saddle portal; in the 17th century, it was remodelled in the Baroque style. Since 1997, concerts have been held there as part of the Vranské hudební jaro concert series. In this way, the building’s historic fabric is combined with an ongoing cultural programme.

Paper mill and hydroelectric power station on the Vltava

The industrial history is also part of the character of Vrané nad Vltavou. The paper mill was founded on the site of a former mill. Its foundation stone was laid in 1837, and the first paper machine was operating the following year. In front of the former paper mill site stands an information board about the Strojní papírna Synů Bohumila Haase. Another layer of technical history is represented by the Vrané Hydroelectric Power Station, built in 1936 as the first large hydroelectric power station on the Vltava.

Reservoir, locks and crossings

The Vrané Reservoir extends 12 kilometres along the Vltava and 3 kilometres along the Sázava. The Vrané waterworks has two lock chambers for navigation. Boat traffic on the Vltava passes through these lock chambers, overcoming a difference in elevation of 8 metres. A special connection across the river is the passenger ferry in Vrané nad Vltavou: it is one of the few non-motorised ferries on the Vltava and shortens the crossing to Strnady.

The history of river crossings also includes the existing raft and boat crossing. In 1909, it was contractually transferred from the ownership of the paper mill to the municipality of Vrané nad Vltavou, free of charge under certain conditions. The ferry, crossing and locks each tell their own part of the relationship between the town and the Vltava.

Zvolská Homole and the cycle path along the river

In the surroundings of Vrané nad Vltavou, Zvolská Homole is a nature reserve with numerous rare plant and insect species. The local educational trail presents the geology of the rocks and the Vltava Canyon, plants of the rocky steppes, the importance of the forest and trees, and the life of ants on fourteen information panels. For cyclists, the Jarov–Vrané nad Vltavou cycle path adds another option: it is 1,170 metres long, runs along the Vltava, connects to the existing section of the Prague–Zbraslav cycle path and ends in Vrané nad Vltavou.

Choose accommodation according to your travel interests

Depending on your focus, the church and local industrial history, the reservoir with its technical facilities, or the landscape around Zvolská Homole may take centre stage. Stará škola continues its cultural programme with concerts, exhibitions, art courses and other courses, adding further cultural occasions to the historical and landscape impressions.

Discover more places in Czechia

If you would like to compare further destinations for your research into Czechia in addition to Vrané nad Vltavou, here you can find the location pages for Horoměřice, Číčovice, Kosoř, Zlatníky-Hodkovice, Tuchoměřice, Petrov, Kameny Privoz and Dolní Břežany.

To the higher-level travel overview: Okres Praha-Západ.