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In the far west of Vienna, some 3km beyond Schonbrunn, lies the former imperial hunting reserve of Lainzer Tiergarten , enclosed within a 25-kilometre-long wall by the Emperor Josef II in the late eighteenth century. Since 1923, however, the reserve has been the wildest of Vienna's public parks - with virtually no traffic allowed inside its boundaries and no formal gardens - and serves as the place in summer to escape the urban sprawl. It may not boast the views of Wienerwald, but you're more likely to spot wildlife here, including wild boar, wolves and, most easily, deer; in addition, the famous Lipizzaner horses of the Spanische Reitschule spend their summer holidays in the park. The park's chief sight, the Hermesvilla (April-Sept Tues-Sun 10am-6pm; Oct-March Tues-Sun 9am-4.30pm; oS50/?3.63), built in 1882 by the Emperor Franz-Josef in an effort to ingratiate himself with his estranged wife, is just ten minutes' walk from the main gates of Lainzer Tor, at the end of Hermesstrasse. Carl Hasenauer was employed to design the building, and Gustav Klimt and Hans Makart among those commissioned to decorate the interior; there was even a purpose-built exercise room in which the empress could indulge in her daily gymnastics. In the end, though, the villa failed to entice Elisabeth back to Vienna, and she stayed there only very occasionally. The house is now used to host exhibitions put on by the Historisches Museum der Stadt Wien. Even if the particular show doesn't grab you, the well-preserved interior is rewarding, though there's no information on the Hermesvilla's imperial days, nor anything specific on the Empress Elisabeth herself. This section of the Lainzer Tiergarten is open year-round; the rest of the park is only open from Easter to October (Wed-Sun 8am-dusk); the St-Veiter Tor and the Adolfstor entrances, to the north of Lainzer Tor, are only open on Sundays and public holidays. To get to the Lainzer Tor, take tram #60 or #61 from Hietzing U-Bahn to Hofwiesengasse, then it's fifteen minutes' walk or bus #60B down Hermesstrasse
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