Schönbrunn Zoo, Zoo in Hietzing district, Vienna, Austria
Schönbrunn Zoo is a 17-hectare zoo in the Hietzing district of Vienna, Austria, inside the park of Schönbrunn Palace. Its oldest part is a ring of twelve enclosures around an octagonal pavilion finished in 1759, which still stands at the centre and has housed a restaurant since 1949. The grounds hold around 7,800 animals of some 700 species, among them giant pandas and the two armored rhinos given in 2006 by Nepal's former royal house.
The facility was created in 1752 as a menagerie for Emperor Franz I and his wife Maria Theresa, who collected exotic animals from all parts of their empire. In the 19th century the grounds were opened to the public and evolved into a modern facility with scientific ambitions.
The giraffe given by the Viceroy of Egypt in 1828 set off a fashion craze in Vienna: dresses, shoes, utensils, a perfume, a play and two compositions "à la giraffe". Bronze sculptures by Gottfried Kumpf, starting with a lion in 1996, stand along the paths and are popular photo subjects.
The grounds are largely accessible and have plenty of benches along the pathways. The tour typically takes two to three hours, with visitor numbers higher on weekends and during school holidays.
The central baroque pavilion from the 18th century still serves as a cafe overlooking the surrounding enclosures. The original wall paintings inside show exotic landscapes and recall the time when the menagerie was accessible only to the court.
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