Lainzer Tiergarten

The Lainzer Tiergarten is a 24.5-square-kilometre wildlife preserve in the southwest corner of Vienna. Eighty per cent of it is covered in woodland, and the rest includes meadows and ponds. The preserve sits between the Wien River to the north and the Liesingbach to the south. It stretches partly into the Lower Austrian town of Laab im Walde. A stone wall, built in the 18th century, still encloses most of the area. The preserve began as a private hunting ground created by Emperor Ferdinand I in 1561. After the First World War it became a public nature reserve. Today it shelters between 800 and 1,000 wild boar, 200 to 250 fallow deer, about 700 mouflons and 80 to 100 red deer. The highest point, Kaltbründel Berg, reaches 508 metres above sea level. A network of paths leads to three restaurants, two viewpoints and a small lake called Hohenauer Teich. The Hermesvilla, a museum and café, stands near the main gate. From the 1927 Hubertuswarte observation tower visitors see Vienna and the surrounding villages. Near the city side, Wiener Blick offers a clear view of the skyline.