Tierpark Hagenbeck

The Tierpark Hagenbeck is a zoo in Stellingen, now a quarter in Hamburg, Germany. The collection began in 1863 with animals that belonged to Carl Hagenbeck Sr. (1810–87), a fishmonger who became an amateur animal collector. The park itself was founded by Carl Hagenbeck Jr. in 1907. It is known for being the first zoo to use open enclosures surrounded by moats, rather than barred cages, to better approximate animals' natural environments.

History

Animal trading

In 1863 the elder Hagenbeck began collecting exotic animals that came through the port. By the 1870s, the trade had proved more lucrative than his fish shop, and Hagenbeck had become one of the most prominent exotic animal traders in all of Europe. In 1874, the younger Hagenbeck traveled around the world collecting animals. Among his collections, however, were also human beings which he exhibited in "human zoos". Hagenbeck decided to exhibit Samoan and Sami people (Laplanders) as "purely natural" populations. The Sami were presented with their tents, weapons, and sleds, beside a group of reindeer.

during a visit on 1909, speaking with human exhibitions.]] In 1874, Hagenbeck opened a zoo facility in Hamburg, called Carl Hagenbeck's Thierpark, while he continued exhibiting humans. In 1876, he began exhibiting Nubians all across Europe. He also dispatched an agent to Labrador to secure a number of "Esquimaux" (Inuit) from the settlement of Hopedale; these Inuit (see Abraham Ulrikab) were exhibited in the Hamburg Tierpark.

Though initially popular, Hagenbeck's shows gradually began to decline in popularity, especially once the photograph became more and more common, and Hagenbeck's exhibits began to look less and less real in comparison. After one exhibit, Hagenbeck was left with a large number of elephants and no one to purchase them. Unable to sell, he started a circus. To counter the declining popularity of his human zoos, Hagenbeck began working on making his displays more realistic, techniques that would later influence the animal zoo.

Panorama exhibits

In the 1890s Hagenbeck created his first "panorama" exhibit and patented the idea in 1896. The display was the "Northern Panorama", the foreground featured seals and walruses in a pool. Hidden to the zoos patrons was a moat behind the pool. Beyond the moat were reindeer, and beyond a second hidden moat were polar bears. By hiding the moats, the animals appeared to be together in one landscape.

In 1907, Hagenbeck constructed a new facility outside of Hamburg which he called Tierpark Hagenbeck (without the 'H' that was in Thierpark) which is still the location of the facility today. Hagenbeck sought to design the entire zoo with his panorama system. He also sought to demonstrate that animals from warmer climates did not need to live in expensive, humid, foreboding buildings. Instead, Hagenbeck again sought to make his displays realistic.

Using data that he had compiled running his circus, Hagenbeck had estimates of how high and far different animals could leap. Using this data, he built moats filled with water or an empty pit that he determined the animals could not cross. Using moats to separate animals that did not swim, one could look across an expanse of the zoo and see many animals at once, as if in the wild. Previously, zoos had 'not' grouped animal by species, but Hagenbeck revolutionized the layout of zoos, grouping his animals by species. Hagenbeck's design was a popular success. In 1911, Hagenbeck designed the Rome Zoo in the same style. In 1913, he designed the first monkey-rock exhibit, in this case an artificial crag with a 16-foot (4.9 m) moat. The rock was populated by around 200 Hamadryas baboons.

Hagenbeck called his design an animal paradise where "animals would live beside each other in harmony and where the fight for survival would be eliminated."

World War I and II

Hagenbeck died in 1913, but his zoo remained popular until the political situation in Europe swept the zoo into hard times. During World War I many of the keepers were drafted into the German army. After the war, the zoo closed for two years as Germany entered into a deep depression. Then during the Bombing of Hamburg in World War II the original zoo was destroyed. After the war the zoo was rebuilt. The private zoo is still run by the Hagenbeck family.

Monkey Escape

In July 1956, forty five rhesus monkeys escaped from the zoo and ran wild in Hamburg. The incident resulted in calls for help from shocked housewives who met monkeys in their bedrooms and bathtubs. Some of the monkeys sat in trees and chattered excitedly, showing each other toothpaste, soap bars and bathroom utensils which they had grabbed. Managers of the Zoo reported that more than two dozen of the long-tailed Indian monkeys had been caught by policemen, firemen, zoo keepers and schoolchildren.

References

General Specific

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Maria Köhler
2 June 2015
Pretty expensive but well worth it! I spent 4.5 hrs there. I like that you get a map with an indicated round tour. Pretty good food choices as well. Highlight: free-roaming animals, e.g. maras.
Dahlia L
20 August 2013
Visit the tropical zoo first, you'll ne surprise at the beginning! Then, enter the main part of the zoo to see lot of animals and approach animals in the wild :) ????
David Fojan
20 August 2015
Very nice for kids! The park added a special inside section which makes it also worth visiting in the winter! Take a whole day to see everything!
Stephan Roth
30 July 2014
Wir kannten das neue Eismeer noch gar nicht und waren total begeistert. Sehr gelungen! Wie der gesamte Park und das Tropenhaus. Absolut empfehlenswert.
Nine
24 March 2013
Auch wenn es kalt ist lohnt es sich, das Eismeer ist echt toll gemacht aber Gummistiefel sind im ganzen Zoo ( aktuell ) von Vorteil
Julia Sorokina
30 August 2015
Животные тут содержатся на больших территориях, в привычной для них среде обитания, некоторые свободно гуляют по всему зоопарку!)Слоны, пингвины, жирафы...Времени на зоопарк и аквариум надо часов 4-5!
Load more comments
foursquare.com
8.9/10
Mike B and 80,024 more people have been here

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Sofitel Am Alten Wall Hamburg Hotel

starting $213

Renaissance Hamburg Hotel

starting $288

Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg

starting $291

Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten

starting $341

Adina Apartment Hotel Hamburg Speicherstadt

starting $145

Sir Nikolai Hotel

starting $462

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
St. Johannis Harvestehude Hamburg

St. Johannis-Harvestehude (St. John-Harvestehude), Hamburg, is a

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Planetarium Hamburg

汉堡天文馆(Hamburg Planetarium

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kaiserkeller

Kaiserkeller is a night club in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Islamic Centre Hamburg

The Islamic Centre Hamburg (german: Islamisches Zentrum Hamburg) is

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Reeperbahn

The Reeperbahn is a street in Hamburg's St. Pauli district, one of the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Schmidt Theater

Schmidt Theater is a theatre in Hamburg, Germany.

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Hamburg Museum

The Hamburg Museum, also known as Шаблон:Lang ('Museum for Hambu

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kampnagel

Kampnagel is a theatre in Hamburg, Germany. It is based on the

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Yokohama Zoo

Asahi-ku (旭) is one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in K

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Edogawa Ward Natural Zoo

Edogawa City Natural Zoo (江戸川区自然動物園, Edokawaku-shizen-

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Busch Gardens at Tampa Bay is a 335-acre 19th century African-themed

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Henry Doorly Zoo

The Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo is a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, located at

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo is a free Шаблон:Convert zoo located in Lincoln Park

See all similar places