The manor house in Želiezovce (source: One2We)
In the former kitchen of the Esterházy manor house in Želiezovce – once presided over by famed Viennese chef Franz Sacher – a new café will soon open its doors. Nearly 200 years after Sacher cooked for the aristocratic Esterházy family, visitors will once again enjoy his world-famous creation: the Sachertorte.
The café is part of the second phase of restoration works on the manor’s southwest wing, a national cultural monument in southern Slovakia, according to My Levice. The original kitchen, where Sacher worked in the 1840s, will be transformed into a patisserie serving his iconic chocolate cake and other sweet treats.
Franz Sacher arrived in Želiezovce in 1842 at the invitation of Countess Rozina Esterházy, having previously worked at the court of Prince Metternich in Vienna. He spent two years at the manor, where his son Eduard – who later founded Vienna’s Hotel Sacher and perfected the famous cake – was born in 1843.
“Just a few steps from the manor, Sacher had a residence. I tell visitors he could have run to work in slippers – he lived that close,” said Pavel Polka, local historian and head of the town museum.
Tiled stove in the manor kitchen in Želiezovce, Nitra Region (source: Pavel Polka)
The kitchen, measuring 10 by 4 metres, still retains architectural features from Sacher’s time, including two vaulted alcoves once used for open-fire cooking. Below the manor, historic cellars once stored ice and food, preserved using straw – the refrigeration method of the day.
Following a first phase of restoration completed despite delays and rising material costs, the manor has already hosted concerts and exhibitions. The second phase is supported by over €570,000 in funding from the EEA/Norway Grants and the Slovak state budget. Public procurement is now under way for the café’s construction and interior fitting.
Mayor Ondrej Juhász confirmed the café was an essential part of the renovation: “It’s not just a nod to history – it’s about making the manor a living space again. And of course, it wouldn’t be complete without Sachertorte. That’s essential.”
Once the park is also restored, the manor is set to become a unique cultural and culinary destination in the heart of the region.
