Zoological City Gardens

Welcome to Zoological City Gardens

The **Zoological City Garden** in Karlsruhe is one of the oldest zoos in Germany and is distinguished by its combination of zoo and city garden. Located in the heart of the city center, it is one of the most popular destinations in the fan-shaped city. #### **General information** In 1865, the Baden Poultry Breeders' Association laid the foundation for the Karlsruhe Zoo by opening the **"Thiergarten"**. Just a few years later, the dedicated private initiators were no longer able to cover the maintenance costs. After initial financial support from the city, 12 years later the entire inventory, including animals and enclosures, became **city property**. Today, the Zoological City Garden consists of the **City Garden** with its many themed gardens and areas, as well as the **zoo embedded in the City Garden** with its numerous animal enclosures. Covering 22 hectares, it is the largest inner-city park. This diverse offering is complemented by restaurants and children's playgrounds. #### **Stadtgarten area** The Stadtgarten is home to around 800 impressive trees from many countries, 15,000 roses of 130 varieties, many tulips and summer flowers, perennials and climbing plants. The **Japanese Garden** is also **famous**, a miniature landscape with a Shinto shrine, stone lions, and a pagoda. The Stadtgarten is home to over **6,000 animals of 350 species**—from elephants to small meerkats. #### **Zoological area** The **animal world is presented in themed areas**. Sea lions, seals, and penguins have moved into their new enclosures in the **"Water Habitat,"** which was redesigned in 2009. The natural-looking enclosures represent a coastal landscape with rocky cliffs and offer visitors fascinating insights through underwater viewing windows. Right next to it is the **tundra landscape** of the polar bear enclosure. Here, too, visitors can watch the animals diving and swimming through underwater windows. Many large and small classics of the African animal world can be admired in three large enclosures – the **"African Savannah"**. The **"Himalayan Mountain World"** has been opened on the eastern slope of the Lauterberg. Here, among others, the rare snow leopards have their large, attractive enclosure where they feel at home. Since 2015, the **Exotic House with around 2,000 animals** has expanded the zoo's offerings. Here, birds, bats, white-faced sakis, and two-toed sloths can be experienced and admired up close. #### **Gondoletta** Every year on Good Friday, just in time for Easter, the **gondola season** begins in the Zoologischer Stadtgarten. On a 40-minute tour of the **Stadtgartensee** and **Schwanensee** lakes, visitors glide past the various animal enclosures and can view them from a completely different perspective. The gondolas run through the Zoologischer Stadtgarten until mid-October. ### **Tip** **The feeding times for the sea lions and penguins are particularly worth seeing!**

Source: DZT Knowledge Graph