Wodzisław has a long and rich history, which dates back to the reign of King Wladyslaw Lokietek, who granted it town rights in ca.

In 1370, King Kazimierz Wielki handed the town over to a local nobleman Zbigniew Przedbor.

Wodzisław was one of main centers of Protestant Reformation in Lesser Poland, here as many as 20 Calvinist synods took place (1557, 1558, 1559, twice in 1560, 1561, 1566, 1583, 1589, 1590, 1595, twice in 1597, 1599, 1601, 1604, 1606, 1607, 1609, 1610, 1611, and 1612).

Calvinist prayer house at Wodzisław was closed down in 1613, after the Zebrzydowski Rebellion, when town’s owner Samuel Lanckoronski abandoned Calvinism and became a Roman Catholic.

In the late 17th century, the castle was turned into a palace, and at the same time, first Jewish settlers came to Wodzisław, and in 1720, first synagogue was opened.