The Craiova Zoo (Grădina Zoologică Craiova) is a zoological garden located within the Nicolae Romanescu Park in Craiova. Established in 1906, shortly after the park’s inauguration, it is one of the oldest zoos in Romania. Its enclosures and aviaries house a variety of mammals and birds, including large carnivores, herbivores, primates, and exotic species.
The zoo began as a small collection of local wildlife displayed in enclosures around the park ranger’s house and along the main path near the lake. Its early inhabitants included deer, foxes, badgers, bears, and peacocks. Over the following decades, the collection gradually expanded beyond native Romanian wildlife. Lions, monkeys, and ostriches were introduced during the communist period, followed by species such as tigers, jaguars, and llamas after 1989.
Craiova Zoo covers approximately 1.4 hectares within the Nicolae Romanescu Park, where a continuous series of animal enclosures forms a compact area that visitors can walk around. Unlike conventional zoos, it has no separate entrance or admission gate, allowing visitors to see the animals during a walk through the park without paying an admission fee.
