It currently covers an area of approximately 13,000 m2,[1] and has 7,500 m2 of youth sports facilities for handball, volleyball, and other athletics.

The original cemetery, Hundsturmer Friedhof, was established in 1783, as a result of Emperor Joseph II's reforms in response to the Enlightenment.

As a result of re-zoning in the early 20th century, the park now lies within the district of Meidling rather than its namesake.

It was not possible to give Haydn a grandiose burial, as French troops under Napoleon's command had occupied Vienna at the time.

The partially preserved headstone of Joseph Haydn is the only one that remains in the park today and stands as evidence of the former cemetery.