BUDAPEST ZOO

The zoo opened in 1865, then went bankrupt, was then bought back and completely redone in 1912, in a surprising Art Nouveau style for such an establishment. The entrance, decorated with sculptures of two elephants, is remarkable. Inside, the visit is delightful and particularly appreciated by children. The big surprise is the interactivity of the zoo. In the greenhouse, for example, we walk among monkeys, tropical birds, bats, we see rhinoceroses and animals of the savannah. In the large greenhouse, we are invited to enter the snake house. Further on, children can go and feed the zoo's biquettes, locked up in a small enclosure. As for the lions, tigers, polar bears and others, we will be satisfied to look at them behind the glass panes that have replaced the fence, in the lower part of the enclosures. It's a pity that the indications in English are so rare. Announced in 2021, the Pannon Park, a biodome coupled with a park, is still under construction within the zoo at the time of writing (end of 2022), due to lack of subsidies. Let's hope it will open soon. This subtropical area will eventually house species from the Carpathian Basin (and far beyond) and several ponds and aquariums. The old rides from the historic amusement park have already resurfaced in the Holnemvolt section of the zoo. Among other attractions, there is a carousel from 1909, a small train and domestic animals in addition to camels and dromedaries.