Schonbrunn Zoo

Tiergarten Schonbrunn, in the grounds of the imperial palace, was founded in 1752 and is the oldest continuously operating zoo in the world, its original layout radiating from a baroque imperial breakfast pavilion. Modernised over the centuries and known for its giant pandas and conservation work, it blends historic charm with a serious animal collection.

History

Francis Stephen of Lorraine, husband of Maria Theresa, commissioned Jean Nicolas Jadot de Ville-Issey in 1745 to design a menagerie in the park of Schönbrunn, twelve enclosures with an administration building, opened to guests in the summer of 1752; its octagonal pavilion, finished in 1759 as a breakfast room, is still the centre of the zoo and has been a restaurant since 1949. The first elephant came in 1770, wolves and bears in 1781, and in 1828 a giraffe, a gift of the Viceroy of Egypt, set off a Viennese fashion for giraffe motifs, hairstyles and even a perfume; director Alois Kraus, from 1879 to 1919, reorganised and enlarged the grounds, the first elephant conceived in a zoo was born here in 1906, and the zoo stayed the private property of the imperial family until 1918 (Wikipedia, Schönbrunn Zoo).

What's there

• The giant pandas - the zoo's celebrated pandas.
• The baroque pavilion - the original imperial breakfast pavilion at the centre.
• The historic layout - the oldest zoo, laid out from 1752.
• The rainforest house and animals - the modern enclosures and species.

When to go

Year-round; a fully open attraction good in any weather, and a natural pairing with a Schonbrunn Palace visit. Mornings are best for active animals.

What to expect

It is a zoo, with the questions that raises, though it is well regarded and conservation-minded. It sits within the busy palace grounds, so it can be crowded. It is a full-day family attraction combined with the palace and gardens.

Nearby

Schonbrunn Palace and its gardens surround it; central Vienna is a short U-Bahn ride.

Key facts