Local history
Information about the town – Polska / małopolskie
First written reference to Wadowice comes from a homage Oświęcim Duke Jan Scholastyk paid to Czech King Jan Luksemburski in 1327. Under Kazimierz, the next ruler of the Duchy of Oświęcim, a huge fire razed the town. The duke, who quickly wanted to reconstruct the town, granted the Chełmno Law to Wadowice by issuing a privilege in November 1430. The law – characteristic to Pomorze (Pomerania) and Prussia – guaranteed more rights than Magdeburg and Środa laws, which were usually granted in this region. Wadowice inhabitants were exempted from any duties to Oświęcim dukes for the period of six years, they had a right to cut trees in ducal forests and catch fish in River Skawa on fast days (Wednesdays and Fridays). Innkeepers, brewers, shoemakers, tailors and clothiers received a right of free trade within the radius of one mile from the town. Władysław Zatorski, son of a Zator duke from Piast dynasty, controlled the town between the years 1442–1493. In the 16th century, Wadowice was a thriving center of craft and trade.
In 1802, Wadowice became a free town, and 17 years later, it was the center of Wadowice County comprising 3,380 square kilometers, 10 towns and 340 villages. In 1867–1975, the town was the seat of Wadowice County and during World War II, after incorporation into the Third Reich, its name was changed to Wadowitz. From 1975 the town belonged to Bielsko County, while after a new administrative division, it was annexed to Lesser Poland Province. Today, it has 19,149 inhabitants (2007).
Historical monuments that should be mentioned are a parish church with preserved fragments dated from the 15th century, a house on Kościelna Street – now, the Municipal Museum, one of the oldest houses in the town and a classical manor house “Mikołaj” (called after the municipality head Mikołaj Komorowski) from the 19th century.
The town is famous for the fact that Karol Wojtyła, the future pope John Paul II, was born here.
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