Phoenix Park and Dublin Zoo

Dublin, Ireland

Comprising two big walking loops around a pair of large ponds in the Phoenix Park, the Dublin Zoo is one of the older zoological societies in Europe. Founded in 1835, it its early years, the animal collection was even bolstered during the summer months by rental elephants.

From the zoo’s material:

Members of the Zoological Society ran the zoo on a voluntary basis and faced many challenges.  They were entirely reliant on visitor entry fees and membership subscriptions. Initially, the zoo was open to society members, their friends and anyone who could afford the entrance fee of six pence. In 1840, the society decided to open the zoo on Sundays for a penny.  Dubliners responded with enthusiasm and cheap entry was extended to public holidays and evenings. In 1854 the society was given an annual government grant; it was small but put the zoo on a steady footing.  A year later, a pair of lions was purchased.  They first bred in 1857, so starting the lucrative Irish Lion Industry. 

Well it’s come a long way from renting elephants and selling lions, the collection is fun and just the right size for an afternoon stroll.

Phoenix Park is a beautiful, exceptionally scenic urban park. It is the largest enclosed park in any European capital and still to this day contains a small herd of wild deer.