Pilsen Zoo

The 21-hectare site of Pilsen Zoo is one of the most popular family destinations in the region. The attractively designed site offers space for over 1,300 different animal species, which can be viewed in enclosures above and below ground. After an earlier specialization in reptiles, today you can admire a wide range of different species. Whether tank rhinoceroses, Komodo monitors, dwarf hippos, Sudan cheetahs or snow leopards - they will all cast a spell over you!

This has changed a lot in recent years. Many of the facilities were only newly built in 2010. These include, for example, the house for underground animal life or the second largest bear house in Europe with one hectare of open space.

Not to be forgotten is the botanical garden of the area, which is one of the world's leading areas due to the number of species exhibited here. During a visit you will notice that the plants on display are integrated into the habitat of the zoo animals. The aim of the zoo is to give its visitors an idea of what is really happening in nature.

The zoo as a school of a different kind

With local nature as teaching material, children and certainly parents can learn through play at the Pilsen Zoo. Different nature trails or guided tours will give you the opportunity to learn about the fascinating flora and fauna in a different way.

If you are looking for an exceptional gift or if you would like to actively support animal welfare, you can even adopt a animal on site. With this you support its standard of living and can call yourself a camel or cheetah godfather in the future - not bad, or?

The zoo as savior

The zoo has set itself the general goal of preserving our rich and colourful natural world. In his home region of Pilsen, he is dedicated not only to the protection of important plant species but also to endangered animal species such as the corncrake and the meadow creeper. The projects in which the Pilsen Zoo participates are not limited to regional animal and plant species. The species protection is also supported around the globe, for example in the Philippines as well as in Madagascar, Indonesia or Senegal.

Diving into prehistoric tides - The Dinopark

At the upper end of the zoo grounds there is a separate exhibition to visit - the Dinopark of the city of Pilsen. Here you can admire numerous static and movable models of early lizards. The natural backdrops surrounding the life-size models were deliberately chosen to realistically depict the primeval environment. In the 3D cinema, children can learn more about life in the Mesozoic and follow in the footsteps of archaeologists on a special playground. The Dinopark is only open during the summer season, between April and October.

In 1926, the second oldest zoo in the country opened its doors to visitors for the first time. At that time however still on another surface and clearly smaller. When the botanical garden was founded in 1961 in the Lochotin quarter near the city centre, the zoo soon moved to the immediate vicinity. In 1981, the two gardens were merged and today more than 1300 animal species and over 9,000 plant species are bred here.

In 1996 the entire zoo was divided into zoo-geographical parts. To make it easier for visitors to find their way around, each region of the world was assigned a specific colour. Due to the modernization the number of animals increased further. As a result, more visitors came to the Pilsen Zoo, making it one of the most important tourist destinations in the Czech Republic today.

With the car

If you are coming from Germany, take the A3 from Nuremberg or the A93 from Regensburg or Munich and take the A6 to Prague. Follow this road for about 100 kilometres until exit 89 in the direction of Most. Route 26 will take you to the centre of Pilsen. Before you reach the old town, turn left into Kalikova street and then immediately left again into the second street. A short time later the zoo on the right side is already written out.

With public transport

In Pilsen numerous long-distance trains stop. Inside the city you can reach most of it comfortably on foot. The zoo is also relatively close to the city centre, but it is advisable to take tram number 4 from the centre in the direction of Košutka, which will take you directly to the zoo in a few minutes