The massive stonewall, stretching straightforward between the two coasts of Öland, was built due the orders of Duke Karl Gustav, later King Karl X Gustav in 1653. The intention was to keep the deer in the royal hunting grounds from escaping them, although many speculate it served the double purpose of keeping the peasantry away from his sport. It was built with local materials and local labour in lieu of taxes. The surrealistic wall in open landscape is still in good condition.
Linderhof is the smallest of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and the only one which he lived to see completed.
Ludwig II, who was crowned king in 1864, began his building activities in 1867-1868 by redesigning his rooms in the Munich Residenz and laying the foundation stone of Neuschwanstein Castle. In 1868 he was already making his first plans for Linderhof. However, neither the palace modelled on Versailles that was to be sited on the floor of the valley nor the large Byzantine palace envisaged by Ludwig II were ever built.
Instead, the new building developed around the forester's house belonging to his father Maximilian II, which was located in the open space in front of the present palace and was used by the king when crown prince on hunting expeditions with his father.