Zoo Hoyerswerda

Zoo Hoyerswerda (also known as Tierpark Hoyerswerda or Kulturzoo Hoyerswerda) is a zoological garden in the centre of the old town of Hoyerswerda in Saxony, Germany, directly beside the town's castle. It occupies about six hectares and houses roughly 1,000 animals representing around 120 species, alongside a notable botanical collection of some 120 plants in 56 species. The zoo attracts approximately 150,000 visitors a year and is operated by the city-owned Zoo-, Kultur und Bildung gGmbH, which also manages the town museum, library, music school and adult education centre. The zoo began in the early 1950s as a small animal enclosure. Encouraged by a nature lover who settled exotic ducks and swans in the castle moat, Günter Peters, then director of the museum housed in the castle, built the first enclosures and aviaries with helpers from the Nationales Aufbauwerk. The site opened officially as the Hoyerswerda 'Heimatgarten' in 1959. Under later directors it grew into a recognised scientific zoo (1994) and added major attractions such as the tropical house (1997) and a bird-of-prey station that rehabilitates injured European raptors. Today the zoo presents animals from six continents, including brown bears, Galápagos giant tortoises, reticulated crocodiles, Manchurian cranes, hornbills, otters, Humboldt penguins, meerkats, Amur tigers, servals, caracals, sable antelopes and steppe zebras. It is also known internationally for breeding and research on otters and for world-first captive breedings of certain exotic bird species. The castle on the grounds is integrated into the visit through the 'ErlebnisReich' and 'LehrReich' interactive history exhibits, and the zoo offers school-oriented guided tours, playgrounds and the SAMBESI zoo restaurant. The zoo is a cultural as well as a zoological site: 26 listed cultural monuments, including numerous sculptures and fountains, stand on its grounds, many created during international sculpture symposia held there between 1975 and 1989. In late 2024 the zoo faced insolvency risk, and the city council approved an additional €500,000 to bridge the gap while a broader discussion on future financing continues.

The origins of Zoo Hoyerswerda lie in the early 1950s, when a nature enthusiast settled exotic ducks and swans in the moat of Hoyerswerda Castle. Inspired by this idea, Günter Peters, then director of the museum housed in the castle, built the first animal enclosures and aviaries in the former castle park with helpers from the Nationales Aufbauwerk (National Reconstruction Work). In 1959 the site opened officially as the Hoyerswerda 'Heimatgarten' (home garden). Peters, an artist, enriched the grounds with artworks and organised regular artists' symposia there. The small animal enclosure grew step by step. Under Peters's successors Dr. Hans Dieter Hohmann (1975–1984) and Dr. Werner Jorga (1984–2008), more endangered and exotic species were kept and successfully bred. In 1994 the Tiergarten was officially recognised as a scientifically managed zoo. One of its biggest attractions, the new tropical house, opened in 1997. The bird-of-prey station, which cares for injured European raptors and releases them back into the wild, gained international recognition. The zoo achieved world-first captive breedings of the multicoloured tanager and the tinkerbird, and became internationally known as an otter breeding and research centre. From 1975 to 1989, nine international sculpture symposia led by Jürgen von Woyski took place at the zoo, leaving a lasting artistic legacy. In 1989 the seven-part television series 'Tierparkgeschichten' was filmed at Tierpark Hoyerswerda, Tierpark Stralsund and Tierpark Eberswalde, first broadcast on 2 June 1989 on East German television. Under Dr. Monika Häfner (2008–2010) the zoo began transforming into an even more family-friendly, culture-rich 'Geo-Zoo' with new, naturalistic and spacious enclosures in the heart of the Lusatian Lake District. The last of the Hinterindian leopards was euthanised in March 2014 at an advanced age; its enclosure was subsequently reworked with continued keeping and breeding planned. In late 2024 the zoo faced the threat of insolvency. The city-owned subsidiary Zoo-, Kultur und Bildung gGmbH, which also includes the town museum, library, music school and adult education centre, could no longer manage with the annual subsidy of just under two million euros. Rising personnel costs were cited by the town hall as the main cause. To avert insolvency, the city council approved an additional €500,000 as a bridging measure, while a fundamental discussion about future financing remains pending.

• 2024

  Zoo faces insolvency risk; city council approves €500,000 emergency funding.

• 2014

  Last Hinterindian leopard euthanised in March at an advanced age.

• 2008

  Dr. Monika Häfner becomes director (until 2010).

• 1997

  New tropical house opens.

• 1994

  Officially recognised as a scientifically managed zoo.

• 1989

  TV series 'Tierparkgeschichten' filmed at the zoo; first broadcast on 2 June 1989.

• 1984

  Dr. Werner Jorga becomes director (until 2008).

• 1975

  Dr. Hans Dieter Hohmann becomes director (until 1984).

• 1975

  First of nine international sculpture symposia led by Jürgen von Woyski (until 1989).

• 1959

  Official opening of the Hoyerswerda 'Heimatgarten' animal enclosure.

A family-friendly, culture-rich municipal zoo combining animal exhibits, historic castle attractions and public education in the Lusatian Lake District.

• Zoo admission tickets

• Annual passes

• Guided tours (curriculum-oriented for schools and kindergartens)

• Zoo school programmes

• Animal keeper experience

• Event and venue hire

1. 1Zoo Hoyerswerda official websitekulturzoo-hy.de
2. 2Über uns – Zoo Hoyerswerdakulturzoo-hy.de
3. 3Unser Team – Zoo Hoyerswerdakulturzoo-hy.de
4. 4Zoogeschichte – Zoo Hoyerswerdakulturzoo-hy.de
5. 5Zoo Hoyerswerda – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
6. 6Zoo Hoyerswerda – Wikidatawikidata.org