Today we laid wreaths at the grave of our founding director, János Xántus, who was born 200 years ago, at the Fiumei Road Cemetery, and also placed a wreath at the statue of the renowned traveler, ethnographer, natural scientist, and zoo professional located in our Zoo.
This Sunday marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of János Xántus, the founding director of our Zoo and a world traveler. On this occasion, several events already took place on Friday. The main commemoration was held at the Fiumei Road Cemetery, at the recently restored grave of János Xántus. The event was organized by the National Heritage Institute and attended by representatives of many institutions, from the Hungarian National Museum through the Museum of Ethnography to our Zoo. The well-known traveler, ethnographer, zoologist, and zoo professional achieved important results in several scientific fields, and the founding and development of several major Hungarian cultural institutions are also linked to his work. On behalf of our Zoo, Dr. Endre Sós, Director General, delivered a commemorative speech and laid a wreath at the grave of János Xántus.
The commemoration continued in the early afternoon at the Zoo, at the statue of János Xántus. This statue is one of five busts placed along the Zoo history memorial walkway leading from the Main Entrance toward the House of Primates. The statue of Xántus was created by the sculptor Pál Pátzay in 1967 and unveiled in 1968. Our Director General, Dr. Endre Sós, also laid a wreath here. Guests at the event included students from the János Xántus Bilingual Secondary School in Budapest, who likewise placed a wreath at the statue of their school’s namesake.
On October 4, this Saturday, Zoo visitors can learn more about the work of János Xántus and the founding of our institution through a thematic guided walk. The walk, which is part of the Animal Lovers’ Festival programs, starts at 2:00 p.m. from the Zoo’s main entrance.
