Budapest Guide
The Városliget and the stadium district
The Zoo
Opening time: Jan, Feb, Nov & Dec daily 9am–3pm; March & Oct Mon– Thurs 9am–4.30pm, Fri– Sun 9am–5pm; April & Sept Mon– Thurs 9am–4.30pm, Fri– Sun 9am–5.30pm; May– Aug Mon– Thurs 9am–6pm, Fri– Sun 9am–6.30pm
Price: 1690Ft, family 4800Ft
Address: Városliget park
Website: www.zoobudapest.com
Budapest's Zoo (Állatkert) opened its doors in 1866. Its Art Nouveau pavilions by Károly Kós (dating from 1911) seemed the last word in zoological architecture, but it slowly stagnated until the 1990s, when a new director aided by private sponsors began long-overdue improvements to give the animals better habitats and make the zoo more visitor-friendly. In 2007, it proudly announced the world's first birth of a rhino conceived by artificial insemination, which has been one of its top attractions ever since. Don't miss the exotic Elephant House, resembling a Central Asian mosque, the Palm House with its magnificent aquarium below, or the Bonsai garden. Look out also for children's events and evening concerts, as advertised outside the main entrance. The children's corner is signposted "Állatóvoda", to the left from the entrance past the Palm House. Note that the animal houses open one hour later and close thirty minutes before the zoo itself.