Vrbno pod Pradědem consists of five municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):[2] Vrbno pod Pradědem is located about 15 kilometres (9 mi) northwest of Bruntál and 58 km (36 mi) north of Olomouc.

[3] After the Bohemian Revolt, the estate was confiscated from the lords of Vrbno and sold to the Teutonic Order.

During the Thirty Years' War in 1641, the town became the site of a military camp of the army of Lennart Torstensson.

During World War II, the Germans operated the E791 forced labour subcamp of the Stalag VIII-B/344 prisoner-of-war camp in the town.

[6] The German-speaking population was expelled in 1945 in accordance to the Potsdam Agreement and Beneš decrees, and replaced by Czech settlers.

[9] Vrbno pod Pradědem is the terminus of a railway line from Milotice nad Opavou.