Underground World at the Pilsen ZOO

The underground fortress on the territory of the present Zoological and Botanical Garden was built by the German armyin 1940–1941, and the shelter was transformed into a new exhibition within six years. Here, you will find many interesting facts about the history of life in the Pilsen’s suburb of Lochotín, the creation of the Kodet Garden, which was the base for the future botanical garden in Pilsen, and especially about the founder of the Botanical Garden in Pilsen, Miroslav Vaňousek. Part of the museum is dedicated to the Second World War in the Pilsen Region. For example, an American M4 Sherman tank is exhibited in the 145-metre-long tunnels.

History of the place

The current mining activity has enabled the exploration of the historical development of nature, which goes back 300 million years (younger Palaeozoic). The underground fortress is situated in what were once swamps and a flowing river. Sediments rich in plant fossils come from the overburden of the so-called Kounov coal seam. Local findings prove that giant dragonflies once flew here, and the forest was full of tree ferns. Experts have examined this sedimentary profile and found that its various layers contain coal seams, carbonate clays, pulverised clays, palaeo-soils, roots, laminae, coal (vitritic) lenses, charcoal, plant detritus, horsetail roots, tree ferns and clubmoss.

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