Copenhagen Zoo

Brief Information

The oldest building still in use at Copenhagen Zoo appeared in 1872 as a yak stable, and today it houses camels. This detail offers a good way to view the entire zoo: it was founded in 1859 and has preserved not only animals, but also traces of its earlier layout.

The meaning of the place has changed noticeably. In its early years, the zoo sought to display as many species as possible, often at the expense of the quality of their care; later, care and enough space for animals to live normally became more important. Alongside this development there is also a heavier historical contrast: in 1901, the everyday life of 25 Indian men, women, and children was displayed here for three months in specially built huts. After such a fact, the zoo is read not only as a place for observing animals, but also as evidence of how the boundaries of acceptable spectacle have changed.

What to Notice First

It is worth comparing the old buildings with the new enclosures: this makes it easier to see how the zoo moved from “displaying” to “creating an environment.” The 1872 yak stable is now occupied by camels, and the 1875 herbivore stable has become an enclosure for tapirs. The function has changed, but the farm buildings themselves remain part of the zoo.

The 1885 owl tower and the 43.5-meter-high wooden observation tower from 1905 belong to the same thread: they recall an older zoo architecture in which individual structures themselves became objects to look at. The elephant pavilion and the savanna with the hippopotamus pavilion, where the animals can be observed underwater, show the newer logic. The location between Frederiksberg Park and Søndermarken adds important context: the zoo is not isolated, but situated between two park spaces.