[1] It lies approximately 15 km (9 mi) south-east of the regional capital Opole.

The name Tarnów probably comes from the Old Polish word tarnina, which means "blackthorn", or from tarnie which defines a place where this plant grows.

During World War II, the Germans operated the E100 forced labour subcamp of the Stalag VIII-B/344 prisoner-of-war camp in the village.

According to the Register of the National Institute of Heritage sites inscribed on the list is:[3] the parish church of St. Martin, whose origins date back to the first half of the fifteenth century; in the seventeenth century the nave and the tower were built, and the church was further expanded in 1853–1864 and 1913.

It has a Baroque altar with statues of saints Michael, Joseph and Hedwig, and a Roccoco baptismal font from the second half of the eighteenth century.