Vienna is a stunningly beautiful and interesting city with many attractions. If you want to see it, then the Schönbrunn Palace can be added to the list of must-see sites. It is about him that will be discussed in our article, and more precisely, about the zoo located on its territory.
Vienna Zoo
The famous zoo in Vienna is located in the Schönbrunn complex, which is considered the oldest palace and park ensemble in Europe. Almost any major European city has its own zoo. And Vienna in this case is no exception. By the way, according to the ratings of 2010, the zoo in Vienna was recognized as the best in Europe. In addition, it is worth remembering that the institution is the oldest in the world, since even before the appearance of the zoo itself in 1752, an animal shelter had been located here since 1570. And now the zoo is one of the most favorite places visited by tourists from all over the world. It’s hard to imagine, but every year there are more than 2 million people in the institution. Agree that the figure is very impressive. The zoo is of interest not only for children, but also for adult visitors.
Foundation History
The Vienna Zoo was founded by Emperor Franz I, husband of Empress Maria Theresa. Initially, a limited circle of people had access to the menagerie. After all, he was in the territory of Schönbrunn Palace. But twenty-five years after its foundation, in 1779, the zoo was open to all comers, and the entrance to it was completely free for guests. The emperor financed the further development of the menagerie, constantly improving and re-equipping it.
Franz I tried to regularly replenish the collection of animals, organizing for this long-distance expeditions to different remote corners of the world. At the end of the eighteenth century, approximately 3,500 different species of animals lived in a zoo in Vienna. Many of them belonged to completely outlandish representatives, about whom not all crowns knew. For that time, a similar number of inhabitants is a huge rarity.
An interesting fact is that when a giraffe first appeared in the oldest zoo in Vienna, local ladies made it fashionable to wear clothes with a characteristic pattern and color, they were so enthusiastic about such an unusual creature.
Further development of the zoo
In the nineteenth century, the Schönbrunn Zoo was seriously reconstructed, after which it acquired a modern look. Between the enclosures, stone fences were destroyed and metal grates were installed. Difficult times in the menagerie began during the Second World War.
The fact is that part of the zoo was severely destroyed, or rather, destroyed by bombing. But local residents donated funds to save this unique institution. Over the long years of its existence, the zoo suffered more than one war and many adversities. But, in spite of everything, his enclosures were still replenished with new inhabitants to the delight of the guests.
Zoo these days
In fairness, it is worth saying that the Vienna Zoo is currently one of the most modern and best institutions of this kind. Now there are about 500 species of different animals living on its territory. The inhabitants of the zoo are in conditions that are as close to the natural habitat as possible. And in 2007, the first panda in Europe was even born here, and the event happened without any interference from scientists.
Variety of inhabitants
As we already mentioned, the zoo is located on the territory of the palace ensemble. Its territory occupies about seventeen hectares. A total of 8,500 individuals live in the zoo. And who is not here. In the menagerie you can see cute koalas and pandas, which are very rare for Europe, elephants (photo in the article), admire a large flock of flamingos, proud pelicans and peacocks. And these are far from all animals. There are also hippos, giraffes, bears, monkeys in the zoo. In addition, everyone can go to the polarium, terrarium, aquarium or tropical pavilion, which provides a unique opportunity to find yourself in a real jungle with a lake and a waterfall, exotic birds, thickets of unseen plants and a collection of stunning tropical butterflies contained in a glass house. The tropical pavilion is literally built into a real rock, and you can rise from the first to the second tier by a completely modern elevator.
Modern aviaries
In general, it is worth saying that almost all zoo enclosures are multi-level. This means that pets can be viewed from the side of the street, and if they hid, then they can be seen from the side of the covered pavilion.
Perhaps the most popular venue for guests is the pavilion called Franz Josef Land. A two-level house for real polar bears was built on its territory. Thanks to the presence of the first tier, tourists can admire the bears under water. But the behavior of animals on land can be seen from the second tier. Not far from the bears in the aviary with a pond there are fur seals and penguins. Well, for the lions in general, truly royal conditions have been created: we will set aside a large house for them to freely move around or relax.
The Vienna Zoo for children is a miracle. Experienced tourists are sure to recommend visiting this beautiful place. A very popular hippo house, which is a very spacious pool with an equipped pool. Guests have a great opportunity to admire how hippos dive and swim, as well as how they behave on land.
A separate aviary is dedicated to reindeer. The animals seemed to have come out of a fairy tale about the Snow Queen. Children will certainly be impressed by the huge pet horns. A separate pavilion is dedicated to orangutans. For animals, toys, cubes, chairs and other objects are scattered here, allowing you to have fun.
A favorite place for children is the contact zoo, near which a playground is equipped. In the pavilion, children are allowed to pet various harmless animals. In addition, the menagerie has excursions during which those pets are visited that are not dangerous to approach. And yet, not all animals should be approached.
Pandas
Pandas deserve close attention, because it is very rare when such animals live in captivity. Aviaries with pandas. Located right at the entrance is the pride of the Vienna Zoo. Many citizens and guests come to the menagerie solely for the sake of these cute creatures. For the first time in Europe, a panda was born at the zoo. It is noteworthy that the animal was born in a completely natural way, and not through artificial insemination. Fu Long was born in 2007. And a year later another bear cub appeared, and then a third.
By the way, the birth of two babies at once became a real holiday for the institution, because it is a huge rarity not only for the zoo, but also for wildlife. In vivo, with the appearance of twins, one of the pets will certainly die. However, the kids Fu and Fu Feng not only both survived, but also grow and develop very well.
Toddler Living Conditions
In the cool season, pets move to a closed pavilion, where they are protected from the weather and frost. For them, a recreation area and territory for receiving water procedures were arranged in the aviary. In the winter room for the bears there is a door that leads to the street, if the animal still wants to walk through the fresh air in winter.
Pandas are big dormouse, they are incredibly fond of sleeping. Good sleep is very important for babies. Therefore, often only their mother walks in the aviary, delighting visitors while the bears are resting. A special wooden den is equipped for them.
An interesting fact is that under the terms of the contract with the suppliers of animals, panda cubs born in the menagerie should be sent to their homeland, to China. Therefore, soon, cute creatures will go to the Celestial Empire. If you want to see little pandas, then you should hurry.
Red pandas
The Vienna Zoo for children is a real miracle. It is also famous for little red pandas. Very often, visitors confuse them with foxes or raccoons. Such bears are more aggressive in nature, so close to them is not worth it. But in appearance they are very cute and charming. Their aviary is equipped for them, where they relax and play. Most of the time, such pandas spend on tree branches.
Service for visitors
The park complex is quite impressive in size, therefore, for the convenience of tourists, a special excursion train travels through its territory. On it you can easily get to any part of the zoo or park. You can also rent trolleys for babies. Near the main entrance to the zoo for tourists there is a free left-luggage office, the services of which can be used by everyone.
For children in the park there are figures of animals that can be touched. Throughout the year, staff organizes thematic tours for kids and all kinds of interactive activities. You will be surprised, but there are even night visits.
In general, everything is thought out in the zoo for the maximum convenience of guests. There are many shops on the territory where you can rest. The park also has catering establishments - a restaurant and eateries. Near each enclosure, you can watch an interactive map, video or manual that helps you learn a lot about pets. The zoo also has souvenir shops and two pet stores. Everyone can purchase memorabilia, toys, books and even clothes.
Over the past 240 years, the imperial bell, whose ringing is heard far beyond the borders of the park, has notified the guests of the closure of the zoo and its closure. Once upon a time, in exactly the same way, people were notified of the arrival of the dukes and the emperor himself. If you are planning a trip to Vienna and want to visit the zoo, then pay attention to the Schönbrunn Palace itself, which was once the summer residence of the Austrian imperial court. By the way, on its territory there is a children's museum, which is of interest to the youngest visitors.
Guidelines for Conduct
Going to the zoo, it is worth remembering the basic rules of behavior. In addition, expect that you will need a lot of time to inspect it, since its territory is huge. Ideally, you should set aside a full day to visit. Children under 14 years old are not allowed into the menagerie. The Vienna Zoo categorically forbids feeding animals. The staff warns visitors that it is not allowed to bring balloons and balloons with them.
You can’t ride skateboards, rollers, and scooters in the park. Significant queues are sometimes formed at the box office, so it is sometimes easier to purchase an electronic version of the ticket on the site. For the convenience of moving around the complex at the entrance, you should take a zoo plan.
Tourists reviews
What to see in Vienna on your own? Of course, the zoo. According to tourists, this is one of the best places in the city. Menagerie is interesting for people of any age, even if you have not been a child for a long time, believe me, it will also be incredibly interesting for you to look at such wonderful inhabitants.
According to visitors, the zoo is fundamentally different from what we are used to seeing in our similar establishments. Here the animals are incredibly well-groomed and always fed. And we don’t even have to talk about the conditions of their detention.
Menagerie is incredibly beautiful. It has modern facilities. And baroque elements add even more charm to the establishment. Tourists note that in the summer and on weekends the zoo is incredibly crowded with visitors. Therefore, it is worth choosing weekdays to visit. It is very convenient that the information in the park is served in several languages.
The complex has excellent infrastructure. It has everything you need for a good vacation. By the way, playgrounds for kids are equipped on the territory. They are very necessary, especially when the kids are a little tired, she needs rest.
The zoo is hit by a number of animals. There are a lot of them. And who just isn’t. Elephants (photo is given in the article), pandas and penguins are the favorites of the public. Near their pavilions there are always a lot of visitors.
Instead of an afterword
For tourists, not only the zoo itself is of interest, but also the palace. It is definitely worth a visit. But to inspect the entire complex, one day is clearly not enough. It is more logical to visit the palace and the zoo on different days.