The town was established in Silesia as Frankenstein in the late 13th century by German settlers, during the reign of Henry IV Probus of the Piast dynasty, following the Mongol invasion of Poland.

It was founded in the vicinity of the old Polish settlement of Sadlno, through which ran a trade route connecting Silesia and Bohemia.

Its positioning on the so-called "King's Road" between Prague and Wrocław, not too far from the commercially important city of Kłodzko, would favour the development of the town.

[2] The city remained under rule of the Polish Piast dynasty before it was sold to the Bohemian (Czech) king in 1351.

[2] In 1456, Bohemian king Ladislaus the Posthumous gave the city in hereditary possession to the Czech noble Podiebrad family,[2] to which it belonged until 1569.

[2] After Germany's defeat, the town again became part of Poland, and was renamed to its historic Polish name Ząbkowice,[3] with the addition of the adjective Śląskie in 1946.

[2] Ząbkowice Śląskie is often called the Silesian Pisa as it is known for its Leaning Tower (Krzywa Wieża), which is one of the main attractions of the town.