First Public Zoo Opens
The first significant public zoo in modern history opened on June 10, 1793, in Paris, France, within the Jardin des Plantes, a renowned botanical garden. This garden originally began in 1633 as a medicinal herb garden commissioned by King Louis XIII, aimed at serving medical professionals and students. By 1640, it became one of the earliest public gardens, welcoming visitors to explore its diverse plant life. Following the French Revolution, the garden expanded to include a zoo, which quickly developed an extensive collection of animals. The Paris zoo was influential in inspiring other nations to establish their own zoos, leading to the creation of the London Zoo in 1828. Despite facing significant challenges, such as the loss of many animals during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, the zoo was eventually restored and now houses a vast array of species. Today, the Jardin des Plantes spans 60 acres, continuing to serve as an important cultural and educational institution in Paris.
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First Public Zoo Opens
First Public Zoo Opens
The first significant public zoo in modern times opened on June 10, 1793, in Paris, France, as part of the botanical garden complex known as the Jardin des Plantes. This institution had its beginnings in 1633, when King Louis XIII commissioned a garden of medicinal herbs for the use and instruction of doctors and medical students. Rare and exotic plants were soon added, and the garden was opened to the public in 1640, one of the first such public gardens in the world. In 1793, after the French Revolution, the garden was expanded to include a public zoo. The zoo acquired an extensive collection of animals and encouraged the establishment of similar zoos in other countries, including the London Zoo in 1828. Its collection was ravaged in 1870 during the siege of Paris by German troops in the Franco-Prussian War, when the starving citizenry ate most of the animals, but was restored afterwards and now contains a vast selection of creatures representing thousands of species. Today the Jardin des Plantes covers 60 acres in Paris.