Saarbrücken Zoo

Saarbrücken Zoo sits on the southern slope of the Eschberg hill and is the most visited zoo in Saarland. More than 1,000 animals live across its hilly grounds, including gorillas, giraffes, Humboldt penguins, meerkats and cheetahs. It makes a great family outing, and a good break from sightseeing in the old town. The zoo has been modernized step by step in recent years.

A short history

The zoo was founded in 1932 and destroyed completely in World War II. It was rebuilt in 1956 on the Eschberg slope on roughly 15 hectares, on land that had been a quarry around 1870. Since 2008 it has added new enclosures for mandrills and cheetahs, a giraffe hill and a 42-meter suspension bridge, the longest in Saarland. A new seal pool opened in 2012, and in 2014 came a penguin enclosure and a large outdoor area for gorillas.

What to see

• Gorillas: A large outdoor habitat for western lowland gorillas was completed in 2014.
• Humboldt penguins: They live in the converted former seal enclosure.
• Giraffe hill and suspension bridge: The bridge gives you views over part of the grounds.
• Meerkats, cheetahs and mandrills: All have newer enclosures.
• Rare animals: Highlights include aardvarks, Chinese alligators and the Malaysian rhinoceros hornbill.

Visiting (as of October 2026)

Allow three to five hours, longer with children. The grounds are on a slope, so wear sturdy shoes. The zoo is open every day of the year. From March 1 to October 31 it is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry 5 p.m.); from November 1 the winter hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. apply. Adults pay 15 euros (16 euros with a voluntary conservation donation), reduced tickets cost 12 euros, and children aged 5 to 15 pay 2 euros. You can buy tickets online and scan the QR code at the turnstile. Dogs are allowed on a short leash but not inside animal houses or on playgrounds; bikes, scooters and drones are banned.

How to get there

The entrance is at Graf-Stauffenberg-Straße 63 in the Eschberg district, and the nearest bus stop is called Am Zoo. Saarbrücken lies on the Paris to Frankfurt high-speed rail line, and the city center is a short bus ride away. Parking information is not in the zoo's short overview, so call +49 681 9053600 if you plan to drive.

Nearby

In the city center you can visit Saarbrücken Palace and the Historical Museum Saar, which makes a good combination for a full day.