Smrdaky Spa is situated in the Zahorska lowlands of the western part of Slovakia, at the foot of the Biele Karpaty Mountains, 80 km from Bratislava. A folk legend about the creation of the spa states that a shepherd discovered the mineral springs when treating his painful leg by bathing in the unusually foul-smelling spring water. News about the healing effect of the spring (a pond) quickly spread, and people from the surroundings started to seek it out. This was the first stimulus for the creation of a spa.
The first written note about the spa town of Smrdaky is found in the land registry published in 1617 by the landowner Majteny - Novak. In his well-known work Notitia Hungariae Novae Historicogeographia (Historical and geographical knowledge about current Hungary) from 1740 the Slovak historian Matej Bel mentions the spa village of Smrd�ky and for the first time describes the use of the mineral hydrogen sulphide water for healing purposes.

In 1763 the official physician, Jan M. Gottmann, prepared an analysis of the Smrdaky water in which he stated that it would be an ideal place to establish a future spa.
An important work was the medical dissertation by senior physician Jozef Callas Nagy on Smrdaky spa (Thermarum B�d�sk�ensium, 1840), produced at Vienna University. Apart from a chemical analysis of the water, carried out by Nitra pharmacist Franti�ek Lang Adolf, there was also a list of indications � diseases which were successfully treated before the establishment of the spa. In first place are various skin diseases such as herpes and lichen etc.
The first spa house in Smrdaky was built between l832 and 1833 by the landowner of the area surrounding the springs, the Nitra vice-burgess Jozef Vietoris. The modern history of the spa dates from these years. Later, in 1839 the breathtaking manor house was built Jozef Vietoris for his family and very important guests. Following several reconstructions, it is still used. With its classical frontage, the manor house has become the symbol of the spa.