If you have a few days to spend in Copenhagen, the zoological gardens are well worth a visit - not just for the animals, but the beautiful surroundings and history of the site.

Made up of nearly 30 acres of land, the zoo lies between the public parks of Frederiksberg Gardens and Søndermarken. With 1,161,388 visitors in 2008 it is the most visited zoo and 4th most visited attraction in Denmark.

It was founded in 1859, making it one of Europe’s oldest zoos. Although the original lineup of animals on display doesn’t sound that impressive from our 21st century view!
The animal population initially consisted of eagles, owls, rabbits and, rather cruelly a seal in a bathtub and turtle in a bucket.

Slowly but surely, the number of animals and the size of the area grew, and in the 1980s and 1990s, the zoo was significantly modernised. Nowadays, the zoo prides itself on helping preserve endangered species from around the world, and provides all animals with the maximum amount of space inside natural environments.

Let’s take a look at what you can see at Copenhagen Zoo, when to visit and how to get there.

The history of Copenhagen Zoo

Copenhagen Zoo was founded by the ornithologist Niels Kjærbølling in 1859. He was given the summer garden of "Prinsess Vilhelmines Have" (The garden of Princess Vilhelmine) by the chief directorate of Copenhagen.'

In 1901 the zoo had a human display with 25 Indians- men, women and children- in an exhibition where the "brown exotic" people went about their daily lives in palm tree leaf huts constructed in the middle of the zoo. One of the most notable animals kept there was a male slow worm that lived there from 1892 to 1946 (for 54 years, which is a record among lizards).

Starting in the early 1980s, Copenhagen Zoo has been undergoing renovations aimed at replacing cages with enclosures which recreate animals' natural environments, giving a better lifestyle to the animals, and a more realistic experience to visitors. The Elephant House (2008) and 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) Savanna are results of these efforts. The Savanna includes a Hippopotamus House where the hippos can be watched underwater.

The zoo has preserved many of its historical buildings. The oldest building still in use, a stable for yaks, was erected in 1872, and now houses the bactrian camels.  A Herbivore House built in 1875 still houses herbivores, namely tapirs. An owl tower from 1885 is today left as a memorial commemorating how zoo animals were once kept.

The observation tower

A notable and highly visible feature of the zoo is the wooden observation tower. 43.5 metres (142.7 ft) high, it offers views of the surrounding parklands and city. The tower was built in 1905 and is one of the tallest observation towers built of wood in the world. Its base is similar to that of Eiffel Tower.

Getting to Copenhagen Zoo

The Zoo (as well as the beautiful Frederiksberg palace and gardens) is an easy 30-minute stroll (or 10 mins on the bike) from the Central Station - just walk west on Frederiks Alle.

Opening hours

The opening hours vary seasonally, so I can’t make any promises that the information below is up to date. Make sure to check out the latest times on Google before you set off on your visit to the zoo!

Mon- Sun 09:00 - 17:00

Prices

Adult 195 DKK

Child (3-11) 105 DKK

Copenhagen Card - Free Entry

Child (0-2 ) Free Entry

Norman Foster’s Elephant House

In 2008, the British architect Norman Foster designed the elephant house and enclosure at Copenhagen Zoo.

Following research into elephants' social patterns, the architecture firm found that bull elephants in the wild roam away from the herd, so based the new area around two separate enclosures. These enclosures are dug into the sloping site, both to minimise the building's impact on the landscape and to ensure it traps heat for the elephants.

The design of these buildings set new zoological standards in terms of the elephants' physical well-being. The main enclosure means the six cows and calves can congregate and sleep together, as they would in the wild, while the floors are heated to keep them dry and maintain the health of the their feet.

The paddocks recreate a section of dry riverbed with mud holes, pools and shade, where Asian elephants would congregate in the wild.