The name means "red shore" and refers to the reddish clay in the vicinity of the river.

[1] Cherven Bryag is a medieval settlement mentioned in 1431 in Ottoman registers as Dobrolak.

[2] Under its present name Cherven Bryag was first recorded in the 16th century as part of the Ottoman region of Nikopol.

On 26 June 1929, Prime Minister Andrey Lyapchev proclaimed the former village and station a town.

Among the local landmarks, the St. Sophronius of Vratsa Church located in the central part of the town is notable.