Leipzig Zoological Garden

Leipzig Zoological Garden is a city zoo in Leipzig, Saxony, founded in 1878 and developed into a modern zoological park with a mix of historic enclosures and new thematic habitats.

Major visitor draws include the large indoor tropical pavilion Gondwanaland (about 16,500 m²) with rainforest vegetation and walkways, the ape-focused Pongoland, and an aquarium housing freshwater and marine species. The zoo displays a broad range of mammals, birds and reptiles across compact, landscaped grounds near the city center.

The zoo’s collections and facilities evolved from 19th-century origins into contemporary conservation and breeding programs with staged expansions and new habitat projects in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Leipzig Zoological Garden sits near Clara-Zetkin Park in central Leipzig, within walking distance of the city center and served by local public transport.

• History and major habitat: Founded in 1878, the zoo has been expanded into modern thematic enclosures and large indoor habitats, including the sizable Gondwanaland tropical hall opened in the 21st century.

What to See #

• Gondwanaland: Gondwanaland - an indoor tropical rainforest hall covering about 16,500 m² with walking trails, plants, free-flying birds and aquatic exhibits under a large climate-controlled dome.
• Pongoland: Pongoland - a complex for great apes and other primates featuring viewing platforms and modern enclosures focused on enrichment and breeding.
• Aquarium and historic enclosures: Aquarium and historic buildings - houses diverse aquatic species and several older zoological buildings dating to the zoo's 19th-century foundation.