Record #00200Human Society archive
World's Oldest Zoo Still in Operation
Official Tiergarten Schönbrunn material records that the zoo was founded in 1752 by Emperor Franz I Stephan of Lorraine, husband of Maria Theresa, and is the world's oldest zoo, forming part of the Schönbrunn UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Current Record
1752year
Current record value
- Start date
- 1752
- Record status
- Verified · currentReport an issue
Overview
Archive NoteThe zoo was created by Emperor Franz I Stephan of Lorraine; his court architect Nicolas Jadot produced designs dating to around 1751, and by 1752 thirteen enclosures arranged radially around a central pavilion had been completed.
The central pavilion, now the historic heart of the zoo, was not completed until 1759.
The Schönbrunn Palace and park of which the zoo forms part were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.
The zoo now covers about 17 hectares, keeps around 500 species, and has been named Europe's best zoo six times.
Record history
1 Milestones- 1752 yearTiergarten Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Zoo)Vienna, AustriaCurrent Record
Sources
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