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Zábřeh is situated on the left bank of the Moravian Sázava river and is the second-largest town in the district of Šumperk. The first mentioning in a document dates from 1254. In 1278 it already had obtained the status of a town. After the 13th century it began to evolve into the economic and administrative centre of this part of Moravia. The moderate growth continued, with some breaks, up to the middle of the 19th century when the railway between Prague, Olomouc and Vienna helped Zábřeh acquire the position of regional industrial centre.

The polar explorer Jan 'Eskimo' WELZL (1868–1951) was born in Zábřeh.