Budapest Zoo

Budapest


This zoo, which opened with 500 animals in 1866, has an excellent collection of big cats, hippopotamuses, bears and giraffes, and some of the themed houses (eg Madagascar, wetlands, nocturnal Australia) are very well executed. Have a look at the dozens of Secessionist animal houses built in the early part of the 20th century, including Elephant House with Zsolnay ceramics, and the Palm House with an aquarium erected by the Eiffel Company of Paris.

The Varázshegy (Magic Mountain) is an interactive exhibition inside the Great Rock, covering the earth's evolution and diversity through 3D film, live animal demonstrations, games and all manner of simple and fun educational tools.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Budapest attractions

1. Museum of Fine Arts

0.14 MILES

Housed in a grand Renaissance-style building and once again opened after three years' renovations in late 2018, the Museum of Fine Arts is home to the…

2. Heroes' Square

0.2 MILES

Heroes’ Sq is the largest and most symbolic square in Budapest. It is dominated by the Millenary Monument (Ezeréves emlékmű), a 36m-high pillar topped by…

3. Gatehouse Tower

0.27 MILES

Covered in vines, the turreted Gatehouse Tower, part of the Vajdahunyad Castle, greets visitors as they cross the footbridge to the small island in the…

4. Palace of Art

0.27 MILES

The Palace of Art, reminiscent of a Greek temple, is among the city’s largest exhibition spaces. It focuses on contemporary visual arts, with some three…

5. Apostles' Tower

0.28 MILES

Accessed via the Hungarian Agricultural Museum, the Apostles' Tower stands 30m tall and looks down on the beautiful Ják Chapel, as well as giving you a…

6. Ják Chapel

0.29 MILES

The little church with the jungly, overgrown cloister opposite Vajdahunyad Castle is called Ják Chapel because its intricate, many-layered portal was…

7. Anonymous Statue

0.32 MILES

The statue of the hooded figure opposite Vajdahunyad Castle is that of Anonymous, the unknown chronicler at the court of King Béla III (r 1172–96) who…

8. Hungarian Agricultural Museum

0.33 MILES

This huge and rather esoteric museum is housed in the stunning baroque and gothic wings of Vajdahunyad Castle. Scattered across a dozen palatial halls,…