Słomniki lies 24 kilometres (15 miles) north of Kraków, among the hills of Lesser Poland Upland.

At that time, it belonged to Cistercian monks, and was located along a merchant route from Bochnia and Wieliczka to Greater Poland.

In 1358 King Casimir III the Great granted Słomniki Magdeburg rights charter, and medieval style market square was fashioned, which still exists.

On April 6, 1794, at Słomniki market square, Józef Zajączek and Antoni Madaliński were promoted to the rank of general.

Following the joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II in September 1939, the village was occupied by Germany until 1945.