Kolínské tůně

Kolínské tůně is a small but ecologically valuable nature reserve lying east of the town of Kolín, between the town itself and the village of Tři Dvory, on the site of a former oxbow of the Elbe River. The reserve owes its existence to the river's own history: the meander was cut off from the main channel back in medieval times, when the Elbe shifted its course and left behind a curved lake together with the surrounding wetlands.

What can you find at Kolínské tůně?

The nature monument covers just over 4 hectares, sitting at an elevation of around 194 metres above sea level. Its centrepiece is the cut-off river meander itself, which makes up close to half of the entire protected area. Alongside it lie four smaller ponds and a fragment of floodplain forest — the type of woodland typical of river valleys that are periodically flooded. Together these elements form a mosaic of habitats characteristic of a natural, unregulated Elbe valley, the kind of landscape that once dominated this part of Bohemia before rivers were straightened and embanked.

Why was the area protected?

Kolínské tůně primarily safeguards plant and animal communities tied to standing water and the reed and marsh vegetation growing along the shores. This habitat supports amphibians, waterfowl and wetland birds, and numerous invertebrates, all of which depend on permanent water bodies surrounded by wet meadows and scrub. The surviving patch of floodplain forest completes the picture of a natural river-valley ecosystem — a type of landscape that has become increasingly rare in the Czech Republic, as most similar areas have been converted for agriculture or development. The site forms part of a broader network of ecologically valuable land known as Hánín, which includes nearby meadows and stands of trees with a similar character.

The area was granted protected status in 1985, making it one of the older nature monuments in the Kolín region.

What is a visit to this site like?

Kolínské tůně is not an easy place to reach — there are no marked hiking trails or visitor infrastructure of the kind found at more popular reserves. The ground can be waterlogged, and getting to the oxbow lake and the ponds means following less-trodden paths. As a result, the site sees few visitors, and among those who do come, anglers using the access paths to the ponds and the old riverbed make up the majority.

For nature lovers who appreciate contact with wild, largely untouched landscapes, Kolínské tůně can be a rewarding addition to a trip around the Kolín area — provided visitors come with suitable footwear and the understanding that this place was set aside to protect a unique remnant of the old Elbe valley, not to accommodate mass tourism.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kolínské tůně? It is a nature monument comprising a cut-off meander of the Elbe River and four adjoining ponds, located east of Kolín.

When was the area protected? It was declared a nature monument in 1985.

How large is the reserve? It covers roughly 4 hectares.

Can you walk around freely? The terrain is hard to access and often waterlogged, with no marked trails — anglers make up most of its visitors.

What makes it ecologically special? A preserved fragment of a natural river valley with aquatic and marsh vegetation and floodplain forest, a habitat type rarely found in such an unaltered state today.