Interesting Facts about the Frankfurt Zoo

The Frankfurt Zoo is the second oldest zoo in Germany after the Berlin Zoo. It was opened in 1858. The Frankfurt Zoo is located at the eastern edge of the Innenstadt (inner city), in the district of Ostend. The Zoo Society House, the main entrance and its own underground station are situated on the Bernhard Grzimek-Allee. The zoo has a good connection with the transport network because it is connected to the city through the subway lines U6 and U7 and the tramway 14.

The grounds of the Frankfurt Zoological Garden Frankfurt were set by eight citizens, with a "memorandum on the establishment of a zoological garden in Frankfurt am Main" to the public. These citizens were: Philip Bernard Andreae-Winkler, Louis Brentano, Louis Hunter, MD Fritz Kellner, Herrmann Mumm, Dr. jur. Rudolph Pfefferkorn, Georg Seufferheld and Albert Varrentrappstrasse. The zoo had a trial period of ten years and had it been successful, it would be build on a purchased or long-term leased site. The trial zoo was built in the downtown and that was a deficiency for its extension. The Zoo had to be relocated outside the city. In the new situation, the Zoo Society House was built, followed by a predator House, the Monkey House, the antelope house, the bears, and a large aquarium.

In 1915 when the zoo had big problems because of the crisis after the First World War, the city took over the Frankfurt Zoo. The animals were threatened by lack of care and food shortages. During the Second World War the zoo was almost completely destroyed by several hits from an air attack. The reconstruction was full of difficulties because there was no funding available. The Director Bernhard Grzimek funded the reconstruction of the zoo form the income of a permanent amusement center formed instead of the destroyed zoo. The income came from dance events, children's and Midsummer balls, fashion shows, Eisrevuen and circus events. Although Bernhard Grzimek was criticized by the other zoo directors, he managed to rescue the Frankfurt Zoo. The reconstruction lasted until 1950. Since then Frankfurt Zoo is undergoing steady expansion.

Now the Zoo features over 4.800 animals from more than 565 species. One of the most famous attractions of the Frankfurt Zoo is the biggest night animal house in Europe, named after director Professor Bernhard Grzimek. In Grzimek House, visitors can observe nocturnal animals like bats or african aardvarks.

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