Prague Zoo occupies 58 hectares of steep Troja hillside above the Vltava's northern meander, a site chosen in 1921 precisely because the terrain — too rugged for residential development — could accommodate large enclosures and naturalistic habitats.
The zoo opened in 1931 with 200 animals; by 2002, when the Vltava breached its banks and flooded the lower pavilions, the collection had grown to 4,730 individuals representing 689 species. Staff evacuated every primate, reptile, and hoofstock in 48 hours, a rescue operation that became an international case study in disaster preparedness.
Today the zoo ranks among Europe's top five zoological institutions, recognized not for size but for breeding programs: Przewalski's horses, northern river terrapins, and Somali wild asses all owe survival lineages to Troja's genetic management. The Indonesian Jungle pavilion, completed in 2002 just months after the flood, recreates a Southeast Asian rainforest across 1,800 square metres of climate-controlled space, housing Komodo dragons, Malayan tapirs, and a free-flying aviary where hornbills and fruit bats share vertical strata. The African House, redesigned in 2019, replaced traditional cages with glass-fronted savannas where visitors stand eye-level with giraffes and watch hippos underwater through 12-centimetre acrylic panels.
Reaching the zoo by river — the Vltava boat cruise departs from central Prague docks — transforms arrival into approach, the city's baroque skyline yielding to forested banks and the pastel facade of Troja Palace. Boats dock at the zoo's riverfront gate, eliminating the uphill walk from Troja's street entrance. The cruise takes 50 minutes each way, passing beneath five bridges and offering views of Vyšehrad cliff and the National Theatre's gold roof. Inside, the zoo's chairlift spans 300 metres of vertical relief, connecting the lower Indonesian and upper African zones without the 20-minute climb on foot. Feeding schedules — sea lions at 14:00, penguins at 15:30 — anchor visits; the northern terrace cafe overlooks Prague's eastern skyline, a rare vantage where the city appears as distant backdrop rather than enclosing stage.
