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Wadowice is today mainly a centre for tourism and sightseeing, but also a place for small industries like: machines production, food processing and construction materials.
The town is mentioned as Wadowice in St.Peter penny register in years 1325- 1327. At this time it was a trading settlement belonging to the Piast Dukes of Silesia, and according to some historians it was already a municipality. Anyway local government with the Law of Chelmo was granted in 1430.
It years 1313/ 1317- 1445 Wadowice belonged to the Silesian duchy of Oswiecim and after 1445 to the dutchy of Zator. Although the duchies were ruled by the Polish Piasts, in years 1327- 1494Events January 25 Alfonso II becomes King of Naples. June 7 Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas which divides the New World between the two countries. October 22 Ludovico Sforza becomes Duke of Milan. Start of the Italian Wars. Births Saito the duchies were subject to Bohemian overlorship, until finally they were bought by the Polish kings in 1457Events University of Freiburg founded. Stefan cel Mare secures the throne of Moldavia which he retains for the next 47 years. Edo Castle was built by Ota Dokan in what is now Tokyo. Charles VIII of Sweden is declared deposed. Archbishop of Sweden Jons Ben/ 1494Events January 25 Alfonso II becomes King of Naples. June 7 Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas which divides the New World between the two countries. October 22 Ludovico Sforza becomes Duke of Milan. Start of the Italian Wars. Births Saito and incorporated as a Silesian County into the Krakow Voivodship in 1564Events March 8 Naples bans kissing in public in the penalty of death June 22 Fort Caroline, the first French attempt at colonizing the New World September 10 The Battle of Kawanakajima Ottoman Turks invade Malta Modern pencil becomes common in England Spa. In the 16th-17th centuries Wadowice was a regional centre of crafts and trade.
After the partitions of Poland, in years 1772Events February 17 First partition of Poland, by Russia and Prussia, later including Austria May Watauga Association formed in East Tennessee as the first independent Anglo-American government. June 9 British vessel Gaspee is burned off of Rhode Island.- 1918Events January January 8 President Woodrow Wilson announces his " Fourteen Points" for the aftermath of World War I. February February 3 The Twin Peaks Tunnel begins service in San Francisco as the longest streetcar tunnel in the world (11,920 feet long). Wadowice belonged to the Kingdom of GaliciaGalicia ( Polish: Galicja, German: Galizien, Ukrainian: (Halychyna), Slovak: Halic, Romanian: Galitia, Hungarian: Gacsorszag) is the name of a region of Central Europe. The region takes its name from the earliest regional capital, the city of Halicz in Uk, under Austrian rule. Since 1867 Wadowice was a county site. Small industries were developing slowly during the 19th century. In 1918 Wadowice was back in Poland and a county site in Krakow Voivodship. In 1920 Karol Wojtyla was born in Wadowice (later known as the bishop of Krakow and pope John Paul II).
In 1939 Wadowice witnessed military hostilities with the German invaders. During the German occupation period, the Nazis have erected a resettement camp for prisoners of war, a penalty camp prison and a Jewish ghetto in years 1941- 1943. Polish guerillas were active in this area.
In years 1945- 1975 Wadowice belonged to the Krakow Voivodship, in years 1975- 1998 to Bielsko-Biala Voivodship, and since 1999 it is the capital of Wadowice County in the Lesser Poland Voivodship.