Diergaarde Blijdorp

Diergaarde Blijdorp
Old entrance of the Diergaarde in Blijdorp.
Date opened	1857
Location	Blijdorp, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Coordinates	51°55′37″N, 4°27′12″E
Accreditations/ Memberships	NVD and EAZA
Rotterdam Zoo Website

Diergaarde Blijdorp (Official Dutch name: Stichting Koninklijke Rotterdamse Diergaarde, Foundation Royal Zoo of Rotterdam) is a zoo in the northwestern part of Rotterdam, one of the oldest zoos in the Netherlands. In 2007 it celebrated its 150th anniversary.

History

Giraffes and monumental building

The original Rotterdam zoo was lost in the bombing of Rotterdam in World War II, which destroyed most of the city centre. Some streetnames still remember to the old zoo, such as Diergaardesingel (Zoolane). Blijdorp was rebuilt slightly to the north, where it opened to the public on December 7, 1940, it's current location. The new zoo was designed by dutch architect Sybold van Ravesteyn who also designed the Central railway station in Rotterdam. In 2001, 'Blijdorp' opened the new western part, called Oceanium with its main attraction an aquarium, making the zoo almost twice as large. In April 2004, the whole zoo was declared a national monument.

Botanical garden

Blijdorp not only participates in animal programmes like EEP, it also houses a botanical garden and manages the Dutch National Bromelia Collection^[1].

Blijdorp Magazine

Cover of Blijdorp Magazine (#1 of jubilee year 2007)

The quarterly magazine of Blijdorp Zoo is called Blijdorp Blad. The first edition of the jubilee year 2007 included articles on the history of the zoo to celebrate its 150 anniversary.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Diergaarde Blijdorp

• (Dutch) Diergaarde Blijdorp
• (Dutch) Dutch Zoo Federation

References

Coordinates: 51°55′37″N, 4°27′12″E

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