Dresden Zoo

Dresden Zoo sits in the leafy Großer Garten park, a short walk from the city's baroque old town. Opened in 1861, it is the fourth-oldest zoo in Germany and covers about 13 hectares, making it an easy half-day outing. Its newest attraction, a large orangutan house opened in 2024, together with elephants, koalas and penguins, makes it one of the best family things to do in Dresden beyond the palaces and museums.

History in brief

Local citizens founded a committee for a zoo in 1859; King Johann of Saxony provided land in the royal Großer Garten, and landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné designed the grounds. The zoo opened on May 9, 1861. In 1927 it drew international attention for documenting, for the first time, an orangutan mother raising her baby. Its history also has a darker side: more than 70 so-called "human zoos" were staged here until 1934. The Allied bombing of February 13, 1945, destroyed almost the entire animal collection, yet the zoo reopened in May 1946.

What to see

The zoo keeps roughly 1,000 animals of about 200 species. Highlights:

• Orangutan House (2024): a circular building 60 meters across and the largest project in the zoo's history, home to Sumatran orangutans, giant tortoises, otters and langurs.
• Africa House with African elephants and mandrills plus a large outdoor yard.
• Koalas, here since 2013, with the first joey born in 2023.
• A walk-through kangaroo enclosure and the Humboldt penguin pool.

Tickets and opening hours

The zoo is open every day (as of October 2026): 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through November 1, then 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until early February, with last entry 45 minutes before closing. Summer rates (through October 31) are €19 for adults, €10 for children aged 3 to 16 and €55 for a family ticket; slightly cheaper winter rates apply from November 1. Children under 3 enter free. Prices include an optional €1 conservation contribution you can decline at the till.

How to get there

From Dresden Hauptbahnhof (main station), the zoo is about a 20-minute walk. Trams 4 and 13 stop at "Zoo," tram 11 at "Lennéplatz," and bus 68 also serves the zoo; local transport is included in the Deutschlandticket. Dresden is about two hours from Berlin and roughly 2.5 hours from Prague by train. Drivers can use the zoo parking lot opposite the entrance for €6 per day.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially with children or if you have already seen the Zwinger and Frauenkirche. The paths are wide and paved, and most buildings are step-free; two wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge by phone. Note that dogs are not allowed (assistance dogs excepted).

Nearby

• Großer Garten with its baroque palace and the miniature Park Railway.
• Volkswagen's Transparent Factory at the edge of the park.
• Old Town, including the Frauenkirche, Zwinger and Semper Opera, about a 30-minute walk away.