A large number of tourists admire the historic districts, where the monumental palaces and cathedrals of the medieval period rise. In addition to impressive architectural ensembles, the capital of the Czech Republic is home to one of the largest European zoos. The Prague Zoo is a vast park area where the natural habitat for animals has been recreated. Among the fragrant plants and bulky stones, lions, elephants, peacocks walk, giraffes graze on the lawns, monkeys jump on vines and lemurs climb, and a polar polar bear majestically swims in a special pool. This is only a small part of what can be seen at the zoo.
History
From time immemorial, the idea of creating a Prague Zoo has been in the air. Most of the Czech kings were engaged in animal breeding within their fiefdoms. These were small nurseries, set up solely to satisfy the whims of the monarchs. The history of the Prague Zoo began in 1881, when the son of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph, Crown Prince Rudolph, married Princess Stephanie of Belgium. A sumptuous wedding was played with a lot of guests and gifts.
On the occasion of the wedding, the noble Czech count Špork proposed to the high society a simple, but difficult to implement idea - to arrange the first zoological garden in Prague. The problem was that a suitable area was required for such a project. However, the count's initiative remained only on paper. As a result, his idea will be taken as the basis for the arrangement of the future reserve at the beginning of the 20th century.
In 1922, Alois Svoboda, a major landowner and philanthropist, provided the Metropolitan Municipality with his estates on the banks of the Vltava in the Prague Troja district for the construction of an acclimatization park. The picturesque area, surrounded by a fence, began to be ennobled and equipped with aviaries for predators. They also began to erect administrative buildings. Professor Jiří Janda became the developer of the project and the first director of the zoo. The official opening of the reserve took place in 1931.
After the opening of the reserve, its first inhabitant appeared in the park - the lioness Sharka, donated by the Austrian circus Rebernigg. Then the she-wolf Lotta and the horses of Przewalski, whose zoological species were on the verge of extinction, joined the predator. The fauna of the park was gradually replenished with various representatives of the animal world. The tiger, elephant, sea lions, hippopotamus, monkeys, giraffe and cheetah appeared.
In the middle of the 20th century, the Prague Zoo was granted state status under the patronage of the Ministry of Information and Education of the Czech Republic. The growing budget has spurred new aviaries to mimic wildlife conditions for animals, birds, reptiles and fish. The institution is making significant progress in animal breeding. There is an increase in the number of many species of mammals.
The hardest time for the zoo came in 2002. Due to heavy rainfall, the level of the Vltava River rose by seven meters. Most of the zoo was flooded. The staff of the reserve did not manage to organize the evacuation of the animals in time. Most of the animals became victims of the raging elements. After the tragic events, the local authorities and the administration of the institution took all the necessary measures for the safe stay of animals in the park. In 2015, the Prague Zoo was ranked fourth in the world ranking of the best nurseries. More than one million people visit the park annually.
Description
The forested area of the Prague Zoo covers an area of 60 hectares. The total length of well-groomed paths that lead to the pavilions is 10 kilometers. More than 5 thousand animals live here, most of which are listed in the Red Book. The animals at the Prague Zoo are not insulated with classic grates. Open enclosures are equipped with wooden partitions, and glass barriers are installed for predatory animals. At the entrance to the zoological garden, visitors can familiarize themselves with a map of the area, which details the zones where various species of wild animals reside.
The Prague Zoo consists of two levels, connected by a cable car. Plowing through the vast territory of the reserve, funiculars and mini - trailers can comfortably deliver tourists to animal habitats. In order to better see the animals, there are observation bridges located above the pavilions. On the territory of the institution there are cafes, souvenir shops, playgrounds with attractions. There is even a small Buddhist temple decorated with sculptures in the park, as well as an observation tower, from where a picturesque view of the entire area opens up.
Pavilions
The territory of the complex is divided into thematic zones where animals live in natural conditions. Visitors to the park are literally surrounded by wild nature. These are tropical forests, African savannah, deserts, plains, arctic belts and other parts of the world. One of the most visited pavilions is the Indonesian jungle. This is a grandiose structure, where monkeys, gibbons, monitor lizards, birds, turtles and fish live among tropical trees, lianas, artificial rocks, waterfalls and aquariums. This two-story building with a huge greenhouse is home to about 1,000 animals.
The open-air cage for small colorful birds is widened. They flutter over the heads of visitors. They sit on the branches of bushes and, as if, pose in front of camera lenses. On a large area, surrounded by boulders, thickets and logs, giraffes with long six-meter necks graze, kangaroos jump, ostriches nibble the grass. A herd of Indian elephants happily strolls along the winding paths of their range. A hippopotamus is splashing in an artificial pond, and zebras are visible nearby.
The cat's pavilion, which is one of the zoo's achievements, will leave pleasant memories. Leopards, tigers and lions gracefully frolic on the lawns. The process of feeding predators is especially interesting. At the sight of raw meat, animals jump, growl and show their sharp fangs. Prague Zoo is famous for the conservation of Przewalski's horses. You will no longer find unique ungulates in the wild. The staff of the institution managed to successfully implement the project of breeding these rare animals, which deserves special respect. The reserve is also home to wildly vulnerable animals - red pandas and Malay tapir.
Behind a transparent fence, there is an outdoor pool with stone islands and a rocky shore. Penguins demonstrate their swimming abilities here. Diving into the water, they seem to fly. It is interesting to observe the carefree life of the gorilla family. In the summer they live in an open cage, and in the winter they move to a spacious warm room. Primates have a variety of toy balls, ropes, stumps, and twigs. Gorillas actively breed in the zoo.
The Prague Zoo is so diverse and large that it will take at least 5 hours to see all the enclosures. A polar bear swims tirelessly on its back in the cold water of a glass pool. Pavilions imitating coniferous forests are inhabited by elk and deer. The lakes and marshes of the complex are home to flamingos, tapirs and antelopes. The terrarium is represented by the largest snakes in the world - anacondas.
Opening hours and ticket prices
Prague Zoo is open every day throughout the year. The working hours of the reserve depend on the season - from 9:00 to 19:00 (June-August), until 18:00 (September, October, April, May), until 17:00 (November-February).The price of an adult ticket is 120 CZK, a child ticket is 150 CZK.
Where is it located and how to get there
The zoo is located away from the city center in a wooded area - Troy Castle. You can get to the place by public transport. Using the metro services, you should get to the Nádraží Holešovice station (line "C"), and then change to bus number 112, which will take you to the zoo (Zoologická zahrada stop). The whole journey from Wenceslas Square will take about one hour. Also, a steamer runs to the Prague Zoo, departing from the Rašínovo embankment. River transport is recommended during the summer season.
