The town is made up of two administrative parts: Nymburk and Drahelice.

The town was founded around 1275 by the Bohemian King Ottokar II. Throughout the Middle Ages it was one of the most important and strategic towns in the kingdom, as it protected Prague and was an important pillar of royal power.
During the reign of

Nymburk is an important railway junction at the crossing of four railway lines. The I/38, II/330 and II/331 highways pass through the town. Urban transport is provided only by buses.

Bohumil Hrabal, who grew up in the town, wrote about Nymburk in his books The Little Town Where Time Stood Still, Cutting It Short,

The Nymburk Brewery, on the southern end of the town, was founded in 1895. With a production of about 200,000 hl/year, it is considered a medium-sized brewery in the Czech Republic. The brewery produces beer under the brand Postřižinské

The town is home to Basketball Nymburk, a club that has won the last 16 Czech National Basketball Leagues. It plays its home games at the

The dominant feature of the town is the Gothic brick Church of Saint Giles, built in 1280–1380. This church, together with the preserved buildings of the Nymburk fortification, is a unique example of brick Gothic (originally North German) architecture in the Czech