Artis Zoo Amsterdam

Artis Zoo - the History
The Zoo is situated in the centre of Amsterdam and was founded on 1st May 1838. G.F. Westerman, J.W.H. Werlemann and J.J.

Wijsmuller were the three important historical personalities who founded Natura Artis Magistra, a Latin term for “Nature is the mother (or teacher) of art”, commonly known as Artis Zoo.

Interestingly, the name is referred to just Artis, because the zoo usually had its first gate open. When people walked through that gate, they used to notice the name Artis written above on the wall.

So they thought that the zoo was just called Artis instead of Natura Artis Magistra and thereafter the name became common. In addition to the zoo, Artis has a planetarium, a geological museum and a zoological museum.

Two golden eagles proudly perched atop the main entrance, the winding paths, majestic trees, the fascinating sculptures give the enigmatic feeling of the 19th century atmosphere. Artis Zoo is not only the oldest zoo in Amsterdam but is a haven of peace and serenity.

The Varied Animal and Plant Species
Since 1838, Artis Zoo has served the most spectacular home of over 700 animal species and 200 trees, which has been gathered from all over the globe. They are spread over an area of 14 hectares.

In case you are a nature lover, you can happily wander through the zoo and get bountiful knowledge about the diversity of plants, trees and shrubs from all over the world, that make up the entire plant kingdom.

In addition to the familiar Tulips, Daffodils and Crocuses, there are also less known species such as the Yellow Star of Bethlehem, Alpine Squill, Iris and Glory of the snow.

Some of the trees predate Artis itself. One such example is the common Oak, which has been estimated to be about 250 years old.

Another unusual tree is the Japanese Nut tree or Ginkgo. Interestingly, this species, which has been around for 180 million years, occurs naturally in the temperate regions of Asia.

The Diverse Sections
Artis Zoo is a successful miniature of our beautiful and mysterious planet. Quite interestingly, the Zoo is the unitary name for the followings:

Aquarium: You can sort out your curiosity regarding the livings in the Amsterdam canals and much more.

Botanical Garden: Here you can peek a glance at the varieties of plants, trees and flowers gathered from all around the world, even the most exotic places. You can hence derive a vast knowledge about their adaptation and survival.

Zoological Museum: The Zoological museum hosts exponents from early 19th century till present time.

There is also a Planetarium and a Geological Museum. These two magnificent places give you an insight into Earth’s ancient life and how did our planet appear.

Thus, if you have the thirst for the rarest knowledge on this planet, Artis Zoo is the right and apt place to visit.

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