Tiergarten Schönbrunn, Vienna

Tiergarten Schönbrunn is a living zoo set within the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace, and its story reaches back to the imperial court. The site opened as a menagerie in 1752, making it the world’s oldest zoo still operating. Its historic heart is an octagonal pavilion completed in 1759; it began as a place for imperial breakfasts and gatherings and has served as a restaurant since 1949.

The architect behind the original menagerie was Jean Nicolas Jadot de Ville-Issey, who arranged twelve animal enclosures around the pavilion, with a pond and courtyards completing the early design. The collection soon became a public fascination. An Indian elephant arrived in 1770, predators followed in 1781, and a giraffe sent from Egypt in 1828 caused such excitement that giraffe patterns appeared in clothing, objects, hairstyles, perfume, theatre and music.

Today, the zoo covers 17 hectares and presents around 7,800 animals from 700 species. Giant pandas are among its major attractions, and the zoo has received the title of Europe’s best zoo six times. Since 2002, visitors have also been able to enter the Rainforest House, while koalas have joined the collection. The historic ensemble of palace, park and zoo has formed part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.