In the year 1569, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II purchased a large floodplain of the Wien river. It was between Meidling and Hietzing. The emperor had the area to be fenced and put game there such as pheasants, ducks, deer and boar. This was the court's recreational hunting ground. In a small separate part of the area, "exotic" birds such as turkeys and peafowl were kept. Fishponds were built, too.