Copenhagen Zoo was founded in 1859 by the ornithologist Niels Kjærbølling, who was granted a princess’s former summer garden on Frederiksberg hill to house his collection. More than 165 years later it is the most visited zoo in Denmark and one of the country’s most popular attractions of any kind, with over 1.3 million visitors a year.
Wedged between the historic parks of Frederiksberg Gardens and Søndermarken, the zoo squeezes over 3,000 animals into 11 hectares — and its age places it comfortably among the oldest zoos in the world.
Key Stats
| Opened | 1859 |
| Location | Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Animals | Over 3,000 animals of about 264 species |
| Area | 11 hectares (27 acres) |
| Annual visitors | Over 1.3 million (1,571,331 in 2019) |
The Tower You Can See for Miles
Copenhagen Zoo’s unmistakable landmark is its wooden observation tower, built in 1905 and standing 43.5 metres (143 ft) tall — one of the tallest wooden observation towers in the world, with a base often compared to the Eiffel Tower’s. From the top, visitors look out over the zoo, the royal parks and the Copenhagen skyline.
Traces of the zoo’s long history are scattered across the grounds: a herbivore house from 1875 still houses tapirs, and an owl tower from 1885 is preserved as a memorial to how zoo animals were once kept.
Star Architects and Star Animals
Modern Copenhagen Zoo has become a showcase for world-class architecture. The Elephant House, designed by Norman Foster with landscape architect Stig L. Andersson, opened in 2008 with lightweight glass domes that flood the paddocks with daylight. In April 2019 the zoo unveiled a 4,000-square-metre panda habitat shaped like a yin-and-yang symbol, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group for two giant pandas on loan from China — making Copenhagen one of the few zoos in Europe to house the species.
Between the tower, the architecture and a collection that runs from polar bears to its famous savanna section, the zoo remains the standard-setter for Scandinavian zoos more than a century and a half after Kjærbølling opened his gates.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
Copenhagen Zoo FAQs
When was Copenhagen Zoo founded?
Copenhagen Zoo was founded in 1859 by the ornithologist Niels Kjærbølling, on Frederiksberg hill between Frederiksberg Gardens and Søndermarken.
What is the tower at Copenhagen Zoo?
The wooden observation tower dates from 1905 and stands 43.5 metres (143 ft) tall — one of the tallest wooden observation towers in the world.
Does Copenhagen Zoo have pandas?
Yes. Since April 2019 the zoo has housed two giant pandas on loan from China, in a yin-and-yang-shaped habitat designed by Bjarke Ingels Group.
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Photo: Simon Burchell / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.