Use the Torhaus main entrance at Sickelser Straße 10, 36041 Fulda. Bus 5 serves “Fulda Überm Engelshaus”; check your outward and return journeys in the RMV planner. Parking is available on Sickelser Straße.

Calm dogs may enter on a lead, kept away from enclosures, but a large area with freely moving animals is off-limits to dogs. Dogs cannot accompany educational programmes. Ask the team about arrangements before visiting with an assistance dog.

Can we book closer animal encounters?

Yes. Guided educational activities are separately booked and led by trained staff. Check the current programme for ages, availability and fees. A weekday educational booking does not automatically allow you to stay afterwards when general admission is closed.

Where can we take a break if it rains?

The g:artentreff bistro is in the Torhaus and has its own opening hours. The play barn offers another possible pause when open. In prolonged rain, shorten the animal walk rather than planning a whole indoor day.

Illustration

ZooHessen, Germany

WIRGARTEN Fulda

Visit WIRGARTEN Fulda to spend unhurried time with familiar animals and discover how differently they respond to the world.

Official website

About

Visit WIRGARTEN Fulda to spend unhurried time with familiar animals and discover how differently they respond to the world. Sheep, goats, donkeys and smaller pets are central to this roughly 3.8-hectare park, which spreads across the little Schnarrehohle valley. Bridges and raised walkways connect different levels, so the landscape is part of the outing.

Start at the Torhaus entrance and choose a few animals to watch properly. The park’s approach puts the animals’ comfort first: an encounter might mean a curious goat coming closer, or simply noticing how a resting group shares its space. Feeding is forbidden, even with grass. Talk that through with children before going in so they know that quiet attention is their way to take part. Wondering what that bird or insect is? Find out on your visit using the Snappit nature app.

WIRGARTEN grew out of the Heimattiergarten and was redesigned around Fulda’s 2023 Landesgartenschau. The grounds expanded from about 1.8 to 3.8 hectares, with new buildings, larger pasture areas and connections across the valley. It reopened under the WIRGARTEN name in October 2023. The Kinder-Akademie operates the park, while the Heimattiergarten association continues to support its animals and educational work.

What to do here

Begin with the sheep-and-goat areas near the entrance. At the Mensch-Tier-Spielplatz, people and goats share a play setting with balancing features. Pause before joining in, follow the signs and staff guidance, and give any animal moving away a clear exit. Try choosing one goat to recognise later by its coat pattern.

For a fuller visit, use the visitor paths and bridge connections to reach the upper paddocks with llamas, donkeys and ponies. Compare their outlines: ask children to sketch just the ears, neck and back rather than a whole detailed animal. Then choose the guinea pigs and rabbits for a slower stop. Look at the space around them as well as the animals themselves: where could they rest or withdraw? Follow the signed paths between levels; the stairway and the route marked Klettersteig on the plan are not buggy shortcuts.

Emus and fallow deer add different animals to the walk. Watch from outside their enclosures, then let each child choose one favourite place to revisit. Finish with the play barn if it is open, or the large playground beside the Torhaus bistro. That playground has a slide, climbing equipment, trampoline and sandpit, making it an easy extra after the animal visit.

Seasonal info

Normal public opening is Thursday 13:00–18:00 and Friday–Sunday 10:00–18:00. During the 2026 autumn school holidays, the park announces daily opening from 10:00–18:00. Holiday arrangements and winter hours can differ, so check the official website before travelling. Bring waterproofs for changeable weather; the outdoor enclosures remain the heart of the visit.

Accessibility

The ground rises and falls across the valley. A footbridge and raised walkway provide accessible connections between parts of the site, but the entire park is not barrier-free. Use those connections rather than the stairs when travelling with a wheelchair or pushchair. For a route suited to your needs, current surfaces and accessible-toilet arrangements, call 0661 1024391 before visiting. Toilets are marked at the Torhaus.

Don't miss

Mensch-Tier-Spielplatz

Watch how the goats explore a shared play space.

Upper paddocks

Compare the shapes of llamas, donkeys and ponies.

Small-animal pause

Slow down beside the guinea pigs and rabbits.

Valley crossings

See the park from its footbridge and raised walkway.

Wildlife and habitats

Pick out one coat pattern and see whether you can recognise that goat again. Watch its choice of route across the play features without luring it with food.

Compare the ears and head shape with the neighbouring ponies. A side-on photograph can make those differences easier for children to describe.

Look at the long neck and the way the animal holds its ears. Wait for a clear view from the visitor path rather than approaching the fence to get its attention.

Watch quietly for an animal moving between shelter and open space. A patient pause can be more revealing than trying to get every animal into one picture.

Compare one rabbit’s ears and resting posture with another’s. Keep your hands outside the enclosure unless a member of staff is guiding an authorised encounter.

Frame the whole bird if possible, including its legs. Compare its silhouette with the chickens elsewhere in the park without trying to make either animal move.

Scan the whole enclosure before choosing a photograph. If the deer are resting together, watch the spacing within the group from the public viewing area.

Choose one bird and watch what it does with its feet and beak. Compare its movements with those of the much larger emu.

Sources and useful links

Wildlife you might spot

Each card links to a full Explore page with photos, traits, and fun facts.

Goat

Fallow Deer

Domestic Chicken

Snap map for this place

Start with the big picture, then zoom in to explore individual wildlife observations around this place.

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Good to know before you go

Buy admission for the animal park and check the current family-ticket options before your visit.

Children under 12 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Keep supervising during activities and play.

Leave bicycles, e-scooters and inline skates outside the park.

Private, non-commercial photography is allowed in public visitor areas. Respect any local photo or flash restrictions and other visitors’ privacy.

Let resting animals rest; never reach across barriers or use food to attract them.

Frequently asked questions

: Use the Torhaus main entrance at Sickelser Straße 10, 36041 Fulda. Bus 5 serves “Fulda Überm Engelshaus”; check your outward and return journeys in the RMV planner. Parking is available on Sickelser Straße.
: Calm dogs may enter on a lead, kept away from enclosures, but a large area with freely moving animals is off-limits to dogs. Dogs cannot accompany educational programmes. Ask the team about arrangements before visiting with an assistance dog.
: Yes. Guided educational activities are separately booked and led by trained staff. Check the current programme for ages, availability and fees. A weekday educational booking does not automatically allow you to stay afterwards when general admission is closed.
: The g:artentreff bistro is in the Torhaus and has its own opening hours. The play barn offers another possible pause when open. In prolonged rain, shorten the animal walk rather than planning a whole indoor day.