Tiergarten Schönbrunn (literally, “Schönbrunn Zoo”), or “Vienna Zoo”, is a
zoo located on the grounds of the famous
Schönbrunn Palace in
Vienna,
Austria. Founded as an imperial
menagerie in 1752, it is the oldest zoo in the world. Today, Tiergarten Schönbrunn is considered and regards itself as a scientifically administered zoo which sees its main purpose as a centre for
species conservation and general nature conservation as well as in the fulfillment of the education mandate given to it by the legislation. The still preserved buildings of the baroque era, which have been complemented in the last years by elements of modern zoo architecture, still convey a good impression of the 18th century menagerie-buildings after the
Versailles model.