Zoological Park

Categories / City Topography/Green Areas/Parks
Categories / Science. Education/Museums
ZOOLOGICAL PARK (until 1952, the Zoological Garden), a cultural, educational and scientific institution, where wild and certain domestic animals are kept, demonstrated and studied. It is situated on Petrogradskaya Side, on the former location of the Alexandrovsky Garden. Its area is about 7.4 ha. The collection of animals consists of approximately 2,000 examples of 408 species (80 are are considered to be internationally endangered species while 42 are endangered in Russia, 15 are protected in the territory of Leningrad Region). The Zoological Park was opened on 1 August 1865; its first owners were Sofia Gebgardt and her husband Julius Gebgardt (died in 1871). After her husband's death S. Gebgardt married E.A. Rost (1842-1908, who owned the Zoological Garden from 1873. Under Rost the Zoological Garden was supplied with the very latest equipment, and the collection grew to 200 species and 1,200 animals, birds and reptiles. A sewage system and electrical lighting was arranged, a theatre was built for 500 seats. The Zoological Garden had its own brass band and later on a symphony orchestra; the Zoology restaurant was also located at the park. In 1897, Rost departed to Germany and the Zoological Garden had gradually declined. After 1910, the Zoological Garden was practically re-created again under a new lessee, actor and entrepreneur S.N. Novikov (1850-1922): a number of pavilions were built for animals; city-residents could again see lions, hippopotamuses, rhinoceros, elephants and other exotic animals. Three theatres ran in the Zoological Garden, the open air theatre, the restaurant theatre, the shooting gallery and the carrousel. Performing animals acted there, children could ride on ponies or donkeys. A big wooden theatre was predominantly used for performing operettas. In 1918, the Zoological Garden was nationalised, zoologist N.P. Tanasiychuk (1890-1960) was appointed its manager, the general direction was performed by the Scientific Council (abolished in 1924), which included the most eminent zoologists. From 1929, the Young Zoologists Society has been working in the Garden. For the 75th anniversary of the Garden in 1940, 171 ha in the region of the Udelny Park were given to the Zoological Garden; however, military operations rendered the plans for constructing a new zoological garden impossible. During the Siege of 1941-44, workers of the Zoological Garden continued working in difficult circumstances (in memory of their exploits the old name of Leningrad Zoological Garden has been retained). The Zoological Garden was opened to visitors in the summer months, and from 1944 it has been working throughout the year (the animal theatre never ceased working). In 1952, the Zoological Garden was given part of еру garden of the State People's House, and its territory increased by more then 2.5 times. In the 1950s-60s, many interesting animals were brought to the park where acclimatisation experiments were conducted. The collection and the level of scientific and educational work carried out in the Zoological Garden was the best in the country.

References: Зефельд А. Двадцатипятилетие С.-Петербургского зоологического сада, 1865-1890. СПб., 1890; Александров В. М., Изюмов Г. И. Ленинградский зоопарк: Путеводитель. 3-е изд., испр. и доп. Л., 1968; Санкт-Петербургский зоосад: История // Научные исследования в Зоологических парках. СПб., 1997. Вып. 7. С. 5-60; Денисенко Е. Е. От зверинцев к зоопарку: История ленингр. зоопарка. СПб., 2003.

A. V. Smirnov. Gebgardt Sofia
Gebhardt Julius
Novikov S.N.
Rost E.A.
Tanasiychuk N.P.
Петроградская сторона
Зефельд А. Двадцатипятилетие С.-Петербургского зоологического сада, 1865-1890. СПб., 1890
Александров В. М., Изюмов Г. И. Ленинградский зоопарк: Путеводитель. 3-е изд., испр. и доп. Л., 1968
Санкт-Петербургский зоосад: История // Научные исследования в Зоологических парках. СПб., 1997
Денисенко Е. Е. От зверинцев к зоопарку: История ленингр. зоопарка. СПб., 2003 1865