Zlatná Na Ostrove: Danube Nature and History

Zlatná Na Ostrove is situated on the main road and railway line connecting Komárno with Bratislava. South of Zlatná Na Ostrove, the Danube flows along the state border between Slovakia and Hungary.

Nature

Veľkolélsky ostrov features a diverse mosaic of wetland, forest and grassland habitats. Veľkolélsky ostrov is part of the Dunajské luhy Special Protection Area, whose protection focuses on preserving habitats for bird species of European importance. It is also part of the Dunajské luhy Ramsar wetland.

The PR Zlatniansky luh Nature Reserve is located on Veľkolélsky ostrov, was designated in 1974 and covers 9.14 hectares. It protects preserved remnants of floodplain forests with breeding sites for waterbirds along the lower Danube. Veľkolélsky ostrov, near the settlement of Veľký Lél, is also part of the Dunajské luhy Protected Landscape Area and is recognized as a wetland of international importance.

Veľkolélsky ostrov lies in the cadastral territories of the municipalities of Zlatná na Ostrove and Veľké Kosihy and is the last Danube island still belonging to the so-called “inland delta of the Danube”.

Activities

The educational trail on Veľkolélsky ostrov can be explored on foot, by boat or by bicycle. Guided hiking excursions lasting from half a day to a full day are also offered on the island.

On Veľkolélsky ostrov, the Zlatý Hucul riding club offers horseback rides in nature. Zlatý Hucul focuses on agritourism in the natural surroundings of Veľkolélsky ostrov and offers riding lessons for children and adults.

The cycling route through Žitný ostrov is 73.5 kilometres long and passes through Zlatná na Ostrove. The route is almost entirely flat and follows state roads and the Danube embankment.

Culture and History

Panning gold from the Danube’s sand deposits was a local livelihood from the Middle Ages until the first half of the 20th century. The section of the Danube where water mills operated was called Malomrév, meaning “water mill landing place”.

The church of the Reformed Christian Church was built in 1794. It contains a “Lord’s Table” dating from 1714. The Neoclassical kúria was built in 1769 on older foundations by Michal and Štefan Magyary-Kossovci and still stands near the church of the Reformed Christian Church.

The Roman Catholic church was built in 1935. In 1848/49, the parish served as the main base of Austrian army corps, and the church tower was used as an observation post.

A Holocaust memorial bearing the names of 61 victims from the municipality stands in the Jewish cemetery. In 1928, the municipality’s residents erected a monument to those who fell in the First World War in the local cemetery. In 1975, a monument honouring the victims of the Second World War fronts was erected beside this monument. A monument commemorates 80 fallen soldiers of the First World War.

Other Places

Other places include Imeľ, Veľké Kosihy, Bodza, Martovce, Nesvady, Chotín, Čalovec and Svätý Peter.

To the overarching travel overview: Komárno District.