Zlín-Lešná Zoo and Château

Zlín-Lešná Zoo and Château lies on the northern edge of Zlín, about 31 km east of Kroměříž by road. The zoo is open every day of the year, including public holidays, and is one of the most visited zoos in the Czech Republic.

The grounds are divided by continent into Africa, Asia, Australia and America, plus the château surroundings and the African area Karibuni. Highlights include the Yucatan tropical hall, the stingray bay and the new lion centre. Pavilions and exhibits open at 9.00 and close half an hour before the zoo closes.

Lešná Château

The present château was built for Count František Seilern-Aspang on the site of an older residence. It was designed by the architect Johann Mick, and after his death Viktor Siedek completed it in 1893. The château combines Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Gothic and Swiss styles and is surrounded by a park that merges smoothly into the forest setting of the zoo. The foundations of today's zoo were laid by animals that Josef Karel Seilern-Aspang brought back from his journey around the world in 1929. The château belongs to the city of Zlín; guided tours run from April to October, and weddings are also held here.