IllustrationCome to Riesa for a small zoo outing that takes you from otters in the garden to fish and unusual rodents inside a former monastery.
Come to Riesa for a small zoo outing that takes you from otters in the garden to fish and unusual rodents inside a former monastery. Enter beside the Klosterkirche on Rathausplatz and start with the herb garden and nearby otter enclosure. The grounds step down in terraces, so decide early how much of the lower park suits your group.
Inside the monastery’s east wing, three aquariums introduce the Elbe, Lake Malawi and New Guinea. Upstairs, make time for the gundis: their glass-fronted enclosure has rocks and branches to explore, and watching a small group settle together can be as absorbing as seeing them climb. Outside, mix animal stops with the petting area and play equipment. This is a good place to give children time to choose a favourite and return to it. Wondering what that bird or insect is? Find out on your visit using the Snappit nature app.
Local poultry enthusiasts and other volunteers helped turn the former monastery garden into a zoo, which opened on 8 August 1965. The restored east wing joined the visitor experience in 2003. Flooding has shaped the park too: the 2002 flood level is marked on the historic water tower. In 2023, the aquariums were refitted around their present Elbe, Lake Malawi and New Guinea themes.
In the petting area, use the brushes provided for goats when permitted and let the animals approach. Try the bird-call station, touch boxes and tree puzzle between animal stops, then give children time for the tunnel slide. Indoors, take a closer look at the fish and small mammals before browsing the natural-history display.
The park normally opens daily at 10:00. Closing is 18:00 from April to September, 17:00 in March and October, and 16:00 from November to February; last entry is 30 minutes earlier. Halloween is advertised for 30–31 October 2026. Check the official event page before travelling on those dates, as event admission can differ from an ordinary zoo visit.
The zoo describes the upper grounds, monastery garden and monastery as barrier-free; the terraced lower park is not fully accessible. Saxony’s access listing notes a 15 m connection at a 9% gradient and a separate lower entrance available by prior arrangement. Call 03525 732089 to agree the best entrance and any assistance for your visit. Pushchairs may be left in the upper area. Wear shoes that feel secure on the sloping outdoor paths.
Pause at the small-clawed otter enclosure, then return for the weekend 14:00 feeding if it is running.
Compare Elbe fish, Malawi cichlids and New Guinea rainbowfish in the monastery’s ground-floor aquariums.
Look for these small rodents among the rocks and branches in the east wing’s first-floor terrarium.
Allow about 1½–2½ hours, with a playground and picnic stop below. The lower terraces need more mobility planning than the upper grounds.
Begin with the aquariums, continue to the gundis and natural-history display, then spend time in the monastery garden. This shorter option is useful when small children tire early or you want more time indoors.
Ask staff for the appropriate monastery entrance and the easiest connection to the garden; the access listing identifies a sloping link.
Start by the herb garden and otters, choose several outdoor animal stops, and leave room for the lower playground and picnic area. Finish inside the monastery, or swap the order to fit a keeper feeding.
At the Elbe, Malawi and New Guinea displays, choose a fish from each and compare its body shape. Which seems best at turning? Read the labels together to find where it lives.
At the bird-call station, let one person choose a sound while the others listen without looking. Follow it with the tree puzzle or touch boxes for a change of pace.
Sit for a longer look at the gundis if the viewing chair is available. Ask staff which indoor exhibits are open before deciding how long to stay.
At the enclosure behind the herb garden, see whether you can follow one otter’s movements without losing track of it. Listen as well as looking.
Look at the short ears and compact muzzle, features that reduce heat loss in the Arctic. The published weekend keeper feeding is at 13:00.
Look among the rocks and branches, then check for animals resting together. Their wild relatives live in rocky parts of North Africa.
Find the sign marked Urson and take a patient look before deciding the enclosure is empty. See whether you can make out the animal’s outline and quills.
Compare the fleeces and faces from the visitor side of the barrier. These are domestic camelids; a booked alpaca activity needs a separate enquiry.
Choose one animal to follow with your eyes. What changes when another approaches? Keep a little distance from the barrier and leave the animals undisturbed.
Read the Steinkauz sign and scan the perches slowly. A still bird can be easy to overlook; use your camera’s zoom rather than approaching the mesh.
Use the exhibit label to distinguish this species from the park’s other turtles. Try a shell-pattern sketch if the animal holds still long enough.
Match the fish to the aquarium label rather than colour alone. Follow one individual through the tank and compare its swimming with the fish in the Elbe display.
All the animals below are part of the zoo’s collection. Give them time to appear and respect their retreat spaces.
Look for the 2002 flood mark on the historic water tower. It turns a piece of local history into something children can see: compare the mark’s height with your own.
In winter, put the outdoor section earlier in your visit, leaving time inside the monastery before closing.
Alongside the goats, look for small sheep and chickens in the petting area. The wooden train and barefoot path add further play choices.
Search for Goethestraße in the current journey planner. The zoo places that stop about 200 m from its entrance.
Saxony’s listing includes a designated accessible parking space, a lift and a wheelchair-accessible toilet. It recommends assistance and says the lower level can be reached through a separate entrance by arrangement. Discuss your requirements with the zoo before travelling.
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Finding the entrance
Use Rathausplatz 1, beside the Klosterkirche. Goethestraße is the nearby bus stop; check current connections from Riesa station. Walking from the station is about 2.3 km.
Watch the parking limit
Rathausplatz parking has a one-hour limit with a parking disc during Wednesday and Friday markets until 13:00. Check signs; Goethestraße 19 is an alternative listed by the zoo.
Budget for admission
Published 2026 daytime prices are €4.50 for adults, €2.50 for ages 3–16 and €10 for two adults with two children. Under-3s enter free. Special events may use different prices.
Build around the feedings
On weekends, the published times are 13:00 for Arctic foxes and 14:00 for otters. Ask on arrival whether both are taking place.
Access before you descend
With a wheelchair, walker or pushchair, discuss the lower terraces and alternative entrance with staff first. For advance arrangements, call 03525 732089.
Bringing a dog
Dogs must stay on a short lead and cannot enter the monastery or play areas. Plan for an adult to remain outside if others visit the aquariums.
Snacks and animal contact
Bring a picnic for the area beside the lower playground. Never feed animals food from home; use zoo dispenser food only where explicitly allowed. Wash hands after animal contact.
Children and cameras
Under-10s must be accompanied by an adult. Leave scooters and balance bikes at the entrance. Private photography is allowed without flash; give other visitors room to look.
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
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Take the discovery with you
Identify the wildlife you spot, learn as you go, and keep a collection of the adventure.
