There are bigger zoos all over Germany. But that doesn’t mean that Wiesbaden’s animal park doesn’t offer its share of attractions.

Situated just up the road from downtown Wiesbaden on the way to Taunusstein, the Wiesbaden Fasanerie is the perfect place to take youngsters for an afternoon of stretching the legs while getting up close and personal with a range of furry and feathered critters from deer to bison, wolves to water fowl.

These encounters and more await visitors to this animal park in the forest northwest of Wiesbaden. Located on Willfried-Ried Strasse, just off B54 (Aarstrasse), the animal sanctuary is situated on the side of a hill stretching up into the forest. Visitors are invited to wander under giant sequoia trees, along paths past various large animal enclosures featuring everything from wild boars to wolves, and to stroll into several open and enclosed aviaries showcasing storks, herons, pheasants and other wild birds. Besides views of a variety of animals, younger visitors will also appreciate a large playground area.

Built in the mid-1950s by the city of Wiesbaden at the site of an older hunting lodge (which today serves as a restaurant) to provide a large, natural habitat for about 50 different types of animals, the Fasanerie is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the winter months and until 6 p.m. from April 1 to Oct. 31.
There is no cost to enter the Fasanerie, but visitors might want to buy a bag of animal pellets to feed to the goats and deer during the visit.

To drive to the Wiesbaden Fasanerie follow Gustav-Stresemann Ring past the Hauptbahnhof (turn left when leaving the Hainerberg Shopping Center) as it turns into Kaiser-Friedrich Ring, Bismarckring and then veers left into Seerobenstrasse before eventually becoming Aarstrasse. A left turn off of Aarstrasse onto Willfried-Ried Strasse is not allowed, so continue up into the woods about another 500 meters to turn legally at a parking area before heading back and taking a right onto Willfried-Ried Strasse and parking in the designated area across from the Fasanerie.

Visitors can also hop on Bus 33 to get to the park.
Visit www.wiesbaden.de/fasanerie for more information.

Published March 15, 2012