In 1638, Zygmunt Grudziński decided to establish a town adjacent to the village of Swarzędz, naming it Grzymałowo (after the Grzymała coat of arms). He designated the area, built a wooden town hall and 36 wooden houses, and invited Jews from Poznań to settle there. Soon after, Protestants joined them. From its very beginning, the town enjoyed complete religious freedom. Its residents, representing various denominations, had the right to build their own places of worship and establish cemeteries. This is how Swarzędz (though the name Grzymałowo didn't stick, it was only officially changed in the 1930s), comprising the village and the town, became a home for three cultures. For many years, it was one of Wielkopolska's largest textile centers. In the mid-19th century, textiles were replaced by carpentry. Initially small and unmechanized, carpentry workshops gradually developed to such an extent that Swarzędz became renowned for its furniture industry not only in Poland but also abroad.