Kovozoo (Metal Zoo)

Do you own a scrap yard but would rather run a zoo full of animals? No problem, in the southeast of Czechia, a group of enthusiasts created a remarkable zoo full of animals made from scrap metal.

The name “Kovozoo” is a neologism—the word kov in Czech means metal, and indeed all the animals here are made of tin junk and other scrap metal.

The quality of the execution of the individual animals varies, with some being hard to identify or downright bizarre, while others are large, realistic, and detailed sculptures. The highest quality works were created by local artistic blacksmiths, who have a long tradition in Czechia.

A rhinoceros named Norbert weighs five tons, and there are giraffes that stand five meters tall. There are around 300 animals, but more are added every year. The original idea was to build a recycling ecological center where people could take their unnecessary waste.

A freely accessible L-610 aircraft, the first prototype made to order from the former Soviet Union, is also part of the complex metal zoo area. It first flew in 1988 and was later saved from scrapping and relocated to a zoo.

Other attractions include a seat created from a waste container, a tunnel created by connecting living trees, a viewing route on an industrial roof, and a tire maze.