Muinkpark

Muinkpark

In 1851, the Ghent Zoo was established here. The Indian elephant Betsy quickly became the mascot of the zoo. After Betsy's death, the English circus director Sam Lockhart gifted elephant Jack to the Ghent 'beast courtyard'.

After a period of prosperity, things went downhill around 1900. The Ghent zoo closed in 1904, and the animals were publicly sold. Elephant Jack was also for sale. A high price was expected, but things turned out differently. Circus director Maximilian Brosé, who was at that time with his circus on Sint-Pietersplein, offered only 300 francs. Whereupon François Hillaert, a well-known figure in Ghent, nicknamed 'Sieske the Yeast Merchant', added 10 francs and thus became the owner of Jack.

All the buildings of the zoo were demolished, except for the red house by the duck pond. This house, the names of the surrounding streets, and a few trees in the park are the only silent witnesses of the Ghent Zoo.

Huis van Alijn