Hetztheater, former animal-baiting amphitheatre in Landstraße, Vienna, Austria

The Hetztheater was a circular wooden amphitheater modelled on Roman arenas, with three tiers and room for about 3,000 spectators. Carl Defraine built it in 1755 outside the Stubentor gate, in what is now Vienna's third district. It stood until the fire of 1 September 1796.

French entrepreneur Carl Defraine established the theater in 1755 and operated it until its destruction in 1796. A fire ended both the building and an era of public animal entertainment in Vienna.

The Viennese dialect word "Hetz", meaning fun or amusement, comes from the animal-baiting events held here. The street Hetzgasse, where the theatre stood, still carries the name. From the 1780s the "Hetzzettel" programmes gave the animals fictitious nationalities and biographies; writers Johann Rautenstrauch and Joachim Perinet are considered possible authors.

The theatre stood in today's third district, and the street name Hetzgasse still marks the spot; the site lies near the former Stubentor area, reachable on foot from the city centre. Nothing of the wooden amphitheatre survives, so look for the street itself rather than any remains.

The fire on 1 September 1796 killed two lions, a panther and several bears; only one wisent survived. Emperor Franz II then refused any further permit for animal baiting, so the amphitheatre was not rebuilt and the street name Hetzgasse still marks the spot.