Leipzig Zoo: Germany’s Top-Rated Zoo and Its Rainforest Dome

Leipzig Zoo opened on June 9, 1878, in the German city of Leipzig and has grown into one of Europe’s most acclaimed zoological gardens. Spread across roughly 27 hectares (67 acres), it is consistently ranked as Germany’s top-rated zoo and often cited as Europe’s second-best, behind only Vienna’s Tiergarten Schönbrunn.

The zoo organizes its grounds into six themed areas — Founder’s Garden, Gondwanaland, Asia, Pongoland, Africa, and South America — each designed around species-appropriate habitats. It draws close to 2 million visitors annually, making it one of the most-visited cultural and leisure attractions in central Germany.

Stats at a Glance

• Location: Leipzig, Germany
• Opened: June 9, 1878
• Size: 27 hectares (67 acres)
• Species: About 650 species and roughly 5,400 individual animals (end of 2023 figures)
• Annual visitors: About 1.8 to 2 million
• Famous for: Gondwanaland indoor rainforest and Pongoland great ape complex

Gondwanaland and the Theme Worlds

Leipzig Zoo’s signature attraction is Gondwanaland, a vast indoor tropical hall spanning about 1.65 hectares (4.1 acres), making it one of the largest indoor rainforests of its kind. Inside, visitors follow jungle paths, a treetop trail, and a boat ride along a simulated jungle river past roughly 170 animal species and hundreds of plant species sourced from nurseries in Thailand, Malaysia, and Florida.

Beyond Gondwanaland, the Pongoland complex focuses on great apes, including chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans, and has also served as a research site for primate cognition studies. The zoo’s other theme worlds, covering Asian and African wildlife plus South American species, reflect its broader mission of building habitats that mirror animals’ natural environments.

A Leader in Conservation Breeding

Since its founding in the 19th century, Leipzig Zoo has built a strong reputation for breeding programs, having raised substantial numbers of big cats over its history, including lions and Siberian tigers. The zoo participates in coordinated European breeding programs through its membership in EAZA and WAZA, contributing to conservation efforts for threatened species.

That combination of historic pedigree, ambitious modern exhibit architecture, and conservation focus is a major reason Leipzig Zoo continues to be named among the very best zoos in Europe.

Explore more: Explore more top zoos and aquariums.

Leipzig Zoo FAQs

When did Leipzig Zoo open?

Leipzig Zoo opened on June 9, 1878, making it one of Germany’s oldest zoological gardens.

What is Gondwanaland at Leipzig Zoo?

Gondwanaland is a large indoor tropical rainforest hall covering about 1.65 hectares, home to roughly 170 animal species and hundreds of plant species, with jungle trails and a boat ride.

How many animals live at Leipzig Zoo?

According to the zoo’s own reporting, Leipzig Zoo houses around 650 species and roughly 5,400 individual animals across its themed habitat areas.

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Photo: Appaloosa / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.