Liberec repaired the historic entrance to the zoo from the early 20th century

Liberec - Liberec has repaired the historic entrance to the oldest zoo in the country, which was established 116 years ago. This concerns the entrance portal at Masaryková Street, said the city hall spokesperson Jana Kodymová today.

"As part of the repairs, new plaster was applied, the roofing of the cornices was supplemented, the portal was drained, and a new unifying coat in the original color tones was applied," Kodymová stated. The repair cost 150,000 crowns, she added. The goal for the future is to cultivate the current appearance of the adjacent fruit and vegetable stand and to revitalize the entire space towards the Swan Pond.

The Liberec Zoo was founded in 1904, although it was long believed to have been established in 1919. The reason for the mistaken dating of the zoo's founding was the deliberate distortion of the oldest history of the zoo by its former director Erich Sluwa. His motivation for doing so is not known today. The repaired entrance portal at the lower part of the garden was created during his management.

The current entrance is on the opposite side of the garden, at the upper part near the tram terminal in Lidové sady. It is relatively new, dating from 2014. The construction of the new entrance and the establishment of a new administration pavilion cost 82 million crowns, funded with the help of a European grant, while the rest was paid for by the city council.

The zoo is among the most visited destinations in the Liberec Region. Last year, the oldest zoo in the republic was visited by 402,193 people, which was its third highest attendance. However, due to anti-coronavirus measures, the zoo has been closed since October 9. The zoo's management estimates that over the month, the garden lost 40,000 visitors and nearly five million crowns in revenue.