Tierpark Hagenbeck

Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg-Stellingen holds a defining place in zoo history: when Carl Hagenbeck opened it on 7 May 1907, it was the world's first zoo without bars, replacing iron cages with deep moats and panoramic open enclosures — a concept that reshaped zoo design globally. The family enterprise traces back even further, to a trading menagerie Carl Hagenbeck Sr. founded at Hamburg's Spielbudenplatz in 1863. Today the site is a protected cultural monument, featuring a large tropical hall, open-air elephant enclosures, and Jugendstil architectural elements at the entrance. The adjacent Tropen-Aquarium, opened in 2007 for the centenary, adds an aquatic dimension. The zoo is open year-round — until 19:00 in summer — and remains family-owned and operated.