This huge zoo, which opened with 500 animals in 1866, has an excellent collection of big cats, hippopotamuses, polar bears and giraffes, and some of the themed houses (eg Madagascar, wetlands, nocturnal Australia) are world class. Away from our furred and feathered friends, have a look at the Secessionist animal houses built in the early part of the 20th century, such as the Elephant House with Zsolnay ceramics, and the Palm House with an aquarium erected by the Eiffel Company of Paris.
The zoo's newest attraction, the Varázshegy (Magic Mountain), is an interactive exhibition inside the Great Rock, covering earth's evolution and diversity through 3D film, live animal demonstrations, games and all manner of simple and fun educational tools.
