As recent archaeological studies show, the wild and rough region of Podhale was inhabited as early as the Stone Age. Just 10 km southeast of Nowy Targ, in the cave walls at Obłazowa, traces of settlement from several thousand years ago were discovered, including the oldest human bone found in Poland and a boomerang made from mammoth tusk.
In medieval times, there was likely an organized settlement called Stare Cło or Długie Pole in the vicinity of today's St. Anna's Church, established by the Cistercians from Szczyrk. In nearby Czorsztyn, there was a fortress guarding the Hungarian border, and to the south, a small castle on Skałka in Szaflary. The first mention of Novum Forum comes from 1326, and by 1333 it had a mayor and a parish priest.
On June 22, 1346, a man named Dytrych Szyja received a privilege from King Casimir the Great for the re-foundation of the town under Magdeburg law. It was established in a new location, at the confluence of the Biały and Czarny Dunajec rivers, and its urban layout with a large central market square developed at that time. Casimir the Great was also the founder of the first church dedicated to St. Catherine, the town's patron saint.
Thanks to numerous royal privileges and the development of crafts, the town grew rapidly. By 1396, Nowy Targ was an important administrative and commercial center with fully functioning local authorities. From the beginning of the 15th century, it was a royal town and the seat of a starost (senior royal administrative official). In the 16th century, there were already 100 houses, the town obtained the right to store salt from Wieliczka and lead from Olkusz, collect customs duties on goods transported from Hungary, and held regular fairs.
At the end of the 17th century, the constant increase in serfdom and law violations by the then-leaseholders led to anti-feudal uprisings by highlanders in Klikuszowa and Czarny Dunajec, which culminated in a general rebellion throughout Podhale and the march of peasant troops led by Aleksander Kostka Napierski to the castle in Czorsztyn.
At the end of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, due to fires, continuous wars, and the marches of both own and foreign troops, Nowy Targ was depopulated and in 1772 was occupied by Austrian troops. After one of the fires, the occupying town administrator ordered the reconstruction of the Nowy Targ market square facades, leading out two streets at the corners. After 100 meters, these streets merged again into a single artery, reminiscent of the medieval appearance of the town.
Around 1820, Nowy Targ had 520 mostly wooden houses. Postal carriages began to bring the first summer visitors and Tatra tourists. The opening of the railway line from Chabówka to Zakopane resulted in the increased development of local industry, crafts, and tourism. The famous Thursday fairs also became a tradition.
At the beginning of the 20th century, many public facilities and buildings were established, including a gymnasium, the "Sokół" building, and a hospital. The town was connected by rail with Kraków and Vienna and became a powerful center of Podhale regionalism.
World War II and the Nazi occupation interrupted the period of building the town's prosperity. The Jewish population of Nowy Targ ghetto was brutally exterminated, with nearly 2,000 people murdered in the local cemetery. Despite the terror and repression of the occupiers, several underground organizations operated in the town, including the Tatra Confederation, founded in June 1941, and underground newspapers were published.
After the war, Nowy Targ began to take on an industrial character. The sawmill destroyed by the Germans was rebuilt, and a shoe manufacturing complex (NZPS), small factories for clothing and furrier cooperatives were established. Simultaneously, housing estates were built, now home to almost half of Nowy Targ's residents. Thanks to local engagement, sports facilities such as the Ice Hall and KS "Gorce" were established in the town.
Today, Nowy Targ, as befits a county town, is an important commercial, cultural, and sports center in the region. Numerous wholesale outlets, footwear factories, furrier workshops, building material plants, and other industries operate here. Tourists will also find a rich offer of restaurants, cafes, and small pubs.
The town has excellent conditions for practicing aviation sports, cross-country skiing, and speed skating. Throughout the year, there are open fields and tennis courts open to the public.
Nowy Targ is also an excellent base for hiking and cycling trips in the picturesque and ethnographically rich regions of Gorce, Spisz, as well as Pieniny, and the crystal-clear waters of the Dunajec river and its tributaries are a true paradise for anglers.