Berlin Zoological Garden

Opened in 1844 with animals from the royal menagerie on the Pfaueninsel, the Zoo is the oldest zoo still open in Germany and holds more species than any other zoo in the world, about 1,380, on a comparatively small site of thirty-five hectares. The Elephant Gate, rebuilt after wartime destruction, is a pagoda-roofed structure on carved elephants and is the zoo's emblem. Almost all the animals were lost in the war, with ninety-one survivors in 1945, and the collection was rebuilt afterwards. The aquarium next door, opened in 1913, holds fish, reptiles and insects over three floors. Berlin unusually has a second large zoo, the Tierpark, in the east.

History

The Berlin Zoo opened on 1 August 1844, the second zoo in Germany after the short-lived Thiergarten in Hamburg-Horn; it covers 35 hectares and, with about 1,380 species and over 20,200 animals, holds one of the most comprehensive collections in the world. The nearby U-Bahn station opened in 1882 and the aquarium in 1913 (Wikipedia, Berlin Zoo).

The main sights

• The species count - about 1,380 species, more than any other zoo.
• The Elephant Gate - a pagoda-roofed entrance on carved elephants.
• The aquarium - a 1913 building of fish, reptiles and insects.
• The compact site - a very large collection on thirty-five hectares.

When to go

April to October; the zoo opens daily year-round. Weekends and school holidays are busy. Combined tickets with the aquarium are better value.

Practical notes

The site is small for the number of species and some enclosures are dated. Weekends are crowded. The aquarium is a separate ticket unless combined.

Nearby

The Tiergarten lies east; the Kurfürstendamm is south.

Key facts