Zoos can be found all over the world, but the Antwerp zoo is somehow a very special one. The Antwerp Zoo was founded in 1843. That makes it one of the oldest zoos worldwide and the oldest one in Belgium. The zoo is situated next to the very beautiful Antwerp central station, right in the busy center of the city.
The Antwerp zoo also has another bigger zoo Planckendael located 40 kilometers away in the small village of Muizen near the city of Mechelen. In the Antwerp Zoo, there are about 5.000 animals from 950 species. Going from birds to elephants. It also has an amazing garden and all the buildings in the zoo are listed as UNESCO buildings. A visit to the Antwerp Zoo is always a moment of sheer relaxation in the center of the city and can be combined with a visit to the central station and the new shopping center underneath it.