KG Auhof

“Auhof, what a name, right?” You might think it’s just a modern shopping center, but its history is as rich as the surrounding forests. Look around! This area has been a hub of activity for centuries, and much of that activity revolved around the Lainzer Tiergarten. The Auhof, named after a historical farmstead, was once an important property of the Knights Hospitaller. It was their base for centuries, a peaceful haven surrounded by wild wilderness. But then came the emperor, Ferdinand I, who was also a keen hunter. He bought the Auhof in the 16th century, using it as his personal hunting ground, a place where Vienna’s royalty came to unwind. The Auhof served as the base for the imperial Forest Master, and the vast Tiergarten was meticulously managed as a royal preserve. It was a time of grandeur, with magnificent hunts and quiet moments in the dense, leafy embrace of the forest. You can almost feel the echoes of those hunts, the thundering hooves, and the sharp calls of hunters as they stalked their quarry. The Auhof remained a vital element of the Lainzer Tiergarten’s management until the early 20th century. Today, the Auhof is bustling with modern life. Its connection to the Tiergarten endures, though now it’s a place where shoppers browse, and families dine at the cafes. The Auhof, a place where history and modernity intertwine, a fascinating blend of the old and the new.