One of the oldest zoos in the world, founded in 1765 in the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace, a year before Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo. Around 140 species on wooded slopes and natural terrain. Adjacent to Hellbrunn Palace and the Wasserspiele Hellbrunn; the three together fill a full half day.
The Story
When Archbishop Sigismund von Schrattenbach established an animal collection at Hellbrunn Palace in 1765, he was working within a long tradition of aristocratic menageries attached to palace estates. What distinguished Hellbrunn's collection was its setting: not a formal garden but the natural terrain of the palace grounds, with wooded slopes, rock outcrops, and meadows already in place.
That landscape became the zoo's defining characteristic. Unlike zoos built from scratch on flat urban land, the Salzburg Zoo grew up within an existing natural environment. The enclosures follow the terrain. The wooded sections look like forest. The rock faces in some enclosures are the original cliff faces of the hill. It is imperfect, as all zoos are, but it is less obviously artificial than most.
The collection today is around 140 species, with European and alpine fauna well represented alongside more exotic animals. The zoo's proximity to Hellbrunn Palace and the Wasserspiele Hellbrunn makes a combined visit natural: the zoo is adjacent to the palace grounds, with separate entrance tickets, and the palace's trick fountains and baroque garden are a few minutes' walk away.
For families visiting Salzburg, the combination of zoo, water games, and palace park is one of the most complete half-day excursions available, and the bus ride from the city takes around thirty minutes.
Visiting
- Location: Hellbrunnerstrasse 60, Anif, adjacent to Hellbrunn Palace grounds, around 5 km south of Salzburg centre.
- Getting there: Bus 25 from the Altstadt to Hellbrunn stop; approximately 25-30 minutes. Walk from the bus stop to the zoo entrance (separate from the palace entrance).
- Hours: Open daily year-round; reduced hours in winter. Check salzburg-zoo.at for current opening times.
- Cost: Around EUR 14 for adults; reduced rates for children. The zoo entrance is separate from Hellbrunn Palace and Wasserspiele Hellbrunn tickets.
- Time needed: 1.5-2 hours for the zoo; allow a full half day to combine with Hellbrunn Palace and the Wasserspiele.
- Tips: Wear comfortable shoes; the terrain is hilly. Combine with Hellbrunn Palace and the Wasserspiele Hellbrunn for the complete Hellbrunn experience.