Lost in the embrace of Vienna’s southwestern edge lies Maurer Wald. This sprawling woodland a vast 4 square kilometer expanse is more than just trees. It’s a historical tapestry woven with threads of military history and ancient settlements.
Maurer Wald is a part of something larger. It sits within the Wienerwald-Thermenregion a designated European protected area. It also forms part of the Vienna Woods Biosphere Park. Its location is key. It’s nestled between the Lainzer Tiergarten a nature reserve and the Föhrenberge Nature Park in Lower Austria. The Liesing Valley forms its southern border. Mauer a Viennese district gives the forest its name.
Deep within Maurer Wald lies a fascinating story. The Zur Schiessstätte restaurant stands proudly. It was built in 1865 by Anton Oelzelt Ritter von Newin. It was later given to the municipality of Mauer in 1875. The restaurant’s name hints at a nearby shooting range now in ruins. This wasn’t the only shooting range in the area. A military one existed from 1834 until 1918. It ran along the Tiergarten wall. The original civilian shooting range building burned down in 1945. It was only later rebuilt as a restaurant.
But Maurer Wald’s history extends far beyond these more recent events. Geologically it’s mostly part of the Eastern Alps flysch zone. It contains several limestone cliffs and flint zones. One area the Antonshöhe holds significant archaeological importance. Around 1930 the oldest settlement traces on Viennese city territory were discovered there. Imagine the lives lived there centuries ago.
Today well-trodden paths wind through Maurer Wald. City hiking trails numbers 6 and 6a are popular routes. They lead from Mauer and neighboring villages into the heart of the forest. At the eastern edge near Mauer another intriguing sight awaits. The Sterngarten an open-air planetarium sits just 130 meters southwest of the Wotrubakirche. This unique combination of nature history and modern astronomy makes Maurer Wald a truly exceptional destination. The views from the highest point a part of the now largely developed Leitenwald are breathtaking. So explore this captivating corner of Vienna. Discover its layers of history and nature. Let the whispering trees tell you their stories.