Town Hall in Opatów

St Martin the Bishop"s parish church was started in the late 12th century. In 1237, the Silesian prince Henryk Brodaty (Henry the Bearded) gave Opatów together with the neighboring villages to the Lebus (present-day Lubusz) bishop.

In 1282, the rapidly developing community received its location privilege based on the German law from King Leszek Czarny. Roadside inns and lodgings for clergymen and workers finishing the construction of parish church were soon built.

Fairs and markets were often organized thanks to privileges and convenient location of Opatów near trading routes. The town authorities were headed by the Lebus bishop who also nominated other officials (mayor, council-men, assessors). Burghers felt safe behind the town walls and merchants as well as  craftsmen were coming in great numbers, some of them to stay for good. In 1502 the town suffered serious damage from Tartar invasions. But soon it was reconstructed thanks to the support of king Aleksander Jagiellończyk (Alexander the Jagiellon).

Chancellor Krzysztof Szydłowiecki bought Opatów from the bishops at the beginning of the 16th century and had town walls built with four gates leading to Cracow, Sandomierz, Lublin and Warsaw. He also ordered the construction of the town hall and a water-supply system.