Slonim city was first mentioned in 1252 and received Magdeburg Law in 1531. It was often in combat zones, being captured by Germans in 1915 who destroyed it. In 1921 it became part of Poland and in 1939 part of the Soviet Union. On the left bank of the Schara River in the historic city center is the Town Hall, a two-story stone building decorated with sculptures. Nearby is the former 1639-1645 Bernardine monastery church in the Baroque style with a high bell tower and two domed side extensions. The city's architecture reflects its complex historical development.