Opatów [ɔˈpatuf] (
listen) is a town in Poland, in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, historic province of Lesser Poland. It is the capital of Opatów County. Its population is 7,833 (2007). Opatów is located among the hills of Lesser Polish Upland, with the Opatówka river dividing the town into two parts. The town marks the intersection of two main roads - European route E371, and national road nr 74 (Piotrków Trybunalski – Hrubieszów). Opatów, however, has no rail connection. Nearest station is at Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, 17 kilometers away.
Tourist attractions include a 12th century Collegiate Church of St. Martin, 15th century baroque Bernardine monastery, 16th century city gate, and several other notable buildings.
Opatów is a settlement on the Vistula River, in an area of forests and lakes. First mentioned in 1189, it was the residence of the regional ruler (Castellan) and of the Catholic bishop. In 1237, it was granted privileges that regularized the status of its residents and in 1361 it received the status of a city with wide privileges. For centuries, until the Partitions of Poland, Opatów was an important regional center, and the seat of sejmiks of Sandomierz Voivodeship. During an invasion of the Tartars (1502), the town was destroyed. In 1514, it was transferred to the nobleman Krzysztof Szydłowiecki, who restored the city, surrounded it with a defensive wall, built a castle and headquarters for the local government and improved the water supply to the residents. Opatów had two annual fairs and two market days a week. After Szydłowiecki’s death, the town belong to several noble families - Tarnowski family, Ostrogski family, Lubomirski family, Potocki family, and Karski family. It remained in private hands until 1864.
In the 18th century, Opatów became home to a number of Greeks, who had escaped to Poland from Turkish occupation of their homeland (see Ottoman Greece). They were allowed to open Orthodox churches. In 1778, an Orthodox parish of St Nicholas was opened, which in 1837 was moved to Radom. During the January Uprising, two battles took place in Opatów between Russians and II Corps of General Józef Hauke-Bosak. Poles captured the town on November 25, 1863, and withdrew with guns and ammunition. On February 21, 1864, second battle took place. It was one of the largest skirmishes of the uprising, and it ended in Polish defeat.
During World War Two, Opatów was a large center of the underground resistance. In the night of March 12/13 1943, a unit of Jędrusie, together with soldiers of the Home Army, attacked local prison, releasing 82 inmates.
Prior to the Second World War, Opatów had a substantial Jewish population, whose history can be referenced here: History of Jews in Opatów.
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Seat: Opatów
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