Budapest Zoo, Budapest

The Budapest Zoo is located in the city park zone, next to the famous thermal baths of Széchenyi. The architectural structures located on the territory of the zoo, houses for animals and even fences were created according to the project of famous architects.

History of the creation

The Budapest Zoo has nearly 150 years history and is one of the oldest in Europe. The first attempt at its creation dates back to the 20-30s of the 19th century, but the subsequent revolution and the War of Independence of Hungary postponed the fulfillment of the task. Only on August 9, 1866, on the initiative of Hungarian patriots, the official opening of the zoo was held under the symbolic ringing of the noon bell.

During the Second World War, after the city was conquered only 15 from 2,000 animals remained alive. The number of animals was restored in the 1950s and 1960s, and the full modernization of the zoo began in 1989.

Exposition of the zoo

Along the avenue, starting from the main entrance, there are rows of ancient trees, among which there are buildings that are architectural and historical monuments of the city. It is best to visit the zoo with children. Here you can see:

• Numerous pavilions with exotic rare animals from around the world.
• Special feeding sessions, in which animals demonstrate their sociability.
• Mini-zoo, in which children can play with domestic animals – goats, sheep, a bird in a special pen.
• The Palm Pavilion (for a separate symbolic fee) is a sequential journey through the climatic zones. Your visit will consist of the moist Amazonian forests, hot deserts, surrounded by free-flying tropical birds and butterflies.

In the underground part of the zoo a sea pavilion was recently opened. In several aquariums you can see exotic inhabitants of a coral reef – stars, hedgehogs, crustaceans, bright fish. At the end of the site there is a large marine aquarium with huge representatives of the marine life. Children will be happy to see a small pool for stingrays and pat the exotic fish that swim to the very surface of the pond.

The Budapest Zoo also has an interactive pavilion. Here you can touch and try a lot of stuff, see the skeleton of a mammoth and much more. On the territory of the zoo there are many shops that sell something to eat or drink.

How to get there

It is the easiest to get to the zoo in Budapest by using the yellow branch of the M1 metro (by the way the oldest one in the city). Exit at the station Széchenyi Fürdő. You can also take bus 20E, 30, 30A, 105 or 230 to the stop of Hősök Tere (Heroes' Square).

Opening hours: in winter, the zoo is open from 9:00 to 16:00 daily. In the summer period – from 9:00 to 18:00. The schedule varies depending on the day of the week and the month.

The cost of admission ticket (data of 2017): an adult ticket costs 2800 HUF. For the children's ticket you will need to pay 1900 forints. You can pay using credit card.