Zlatná Na Ostrove: Danube Island, Culture and Nature

Zlatná Na Ostrove brings together the Danube and a diverse cultural landscape. The town lies on the main road and railway line between Komárno and Bratislava. To the south, the Danube flows by and forms the state border between Slovakia and Hungary. This brings together transport routes, a river landscape and historical evidence in one place.

Danube Island and Protected Landscape

One defining natural area is Veľkolélsky ostrov near the settlement of Veľký Lél. The Danube island lies within the cadastral areas of the municipalities of Zlatná Na Ostrove and Veľké Kosihy and is considered the last Danube island still belonging to the so-called inland delta of the Danube. It is part of the Dunajské luhy Protected Landscape Area as well as the Dunajské luhy bird sanctuary and Ramsar wetland. As a wetland of international importance, Veľkolélsky ostrov preserves a diverse mosaic of wetland, forest and grassland habitats.

The PR Zlatniansky luh nature reserve is also located on the island. It was established in 1974 and covers 9.14 hectares. It protects preserved remnants of floodplain forest with breeding sites for waterfowl along the lower reaches of the Danube. Different means of getting around are available for visitors: The educational trail can be explored on foot, by boat or by bicycle. Guided hiking excursions are offered with a duration ranging from half a day to a full day.

Churches, Kúria and Memorial Sites

The history of Zlatná Na Ostrove is closely linked to the Danube. Washing gold from the river’s sand deposits was a local livelihood from the Middle Ages until the first half of the 20th century. Another historical name is Malomrév. This was the name given to the section of the Danube where water mills operated; the name means “landing place of the water mills.”

The town is home to the church of the Reformed Christian Church, built in 1794. Inside is a “Lord’s Table” dating from 1714. In 1848/49, the parish served as the main base of Austrian army corps; the church tower was used as an observation post at that time. The Neoclassical Kúria, commissioned by Michal and Štefan Magyary-Kossovci in 1769 on older foundations, still stands near the church. The townscape is completed by the Roman Catholic church built in 1935.

The cemeteries also preserve tangible traces of the past. A Holocaust memorial at the Jewish cemetery commemorates 61 victims from the municipality. In 1928, the inhabitants erected a monument to those who fell in the First World War at the local cemetery; another monument honoring the victims on the fronts of the Second World War was added beside it in 1975. A monument commemorates 80 fallen soldiers of the First World War.

Horse Riding, Hiking and Cycling

Veľkolélsky ostrov offers several clearly distinct ways to experience the landscape. The Zlatý Hucul Riding Club offers horseback rides in nature, focuses on agrotourism in the island’s natural surroundings and provides riding lessons for children and adults. Anyone wishing to explore the protected natural area more intensively can choose a guided hiking excursion lasting from half a day to a full day.

A 73.5-kilometre cycling route through Žitný ostrov passes through Zlatná Na Ostrove. It runs across almost entirely flat terrain along state roads and the Danube embankment. On Veľkolélsky ostrov, an educational trail leads through the landscape and can be explored on foot, by boat or by bicycle.

Other Destinations

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Zlatná Na Ostrove, you can also find Marcelová, Patince, Chotín, Holiare, Vrbová Nad Váhom, Pribeta, Bajč and Buc.

For the higher-level travel overview: Komárno District.