Nysa is one of the oldest towns in Silesia. It was probably founded in the 10th century and afterwards became the capital of a principality of its name, which around 1200 became part of the Bishopric of Wrocław as the Duchy of Nysa. The town's fortifications from 1350 served to defend against the Hussites in 1424.

Nysa used to be called the “Silesian Rome” or “Silesian Athens”. It was one of the best-known and the most important Polish towns. Its name appears in Hartmann Schedl's “World Chronicles” (1493) just after those of Krakow and Wroclaw. For almost 500 years of its history Nysa was the capital of the bishop's principality, due to which it flourished economically and culturally, despite diverse historical adversities such as invasions and fires.

During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) it was besieged three times. The first Silesian War (1740-41, War of the Austrian Succession) ended Austrian sovereignty over Silesia and left the town in the hands of King Frederick II of Prussia, who laid the foundations of its modern fortifications. On 25 August 1769 Neisse was the site of a meeting between Frederick II and Emperor Joseph II, co-regent in the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria.

During the Napoleonic Wars, Neisse was taken by the French in 1807. It retained its mostly Catholic character within the predominantly Protestant province of Silesia in the Kingdom of Prussia. Because of its many churches from the Gothic and Baroque periods the town was nicknamed "the Silesian Rome". From 1816-1911, the town was the seat of the Neisse District, after which it became an independent city.

After World War I, Neisse became part of the new Province of Upper Silesia. Conquered by the Red Army during World War II, the town was placed under Polish administration according to the Potsdam Agreement and renamed to the traditional Polish Nysa. The town's German population was largely evacuated or expelled and replaced with Poles.

During World War 2 almost 80 percent of the town was virtually destroyed. Its inhabitants put continuous effort into the meticulous reconstruction and renovation of the remaining fragments of the town's former glory. The unique character of the town is revealed both in historical buildings full of various treasures and in old parks and fortifications, as well. The adjacent Nyskie Lake and the vicinity of the Opawskie Mountains help make it into the most attractive tourist area in the Opolskie Province and one of the best-known such areas in Poland.

Source: um.nysa.pl & en.wikipedia.org