Discover the History of the Park!

  • 1956

    Founded by Dutch landscape architect Willem Ter Braake

  • 1997

    Taken over by APEMH

  • 2003

    Inauguration of Tropical House “Amazonia”

  • 2008

    Opening of Mahajanga, the Western Greenhouse of Madagascar

  • 2010

    The arrival of 6 Arctic Wolves and 2 Fennecs

  • 2012

    Expansion of the African Pond

  • 2013

    Welcoming a Pair of Marabouts

  • 2014

    Renovation of the Minigolf Course

  • 2015

    A New Home for 8 Barbary Macaques

1956-1997

65 years ago, Willem Ter Braake, a Dutch landscape gardener, created the first flower show in Mondorf-les-Bains and gave birth to the idea of creating an Enchanted Park in Luxembourg based on the Dutch model.

At the time, this vision was eagerly embraced by the municipality, whose members were ready to innovate and were aware of the particularly interesting site of their town.

The necessary funds were raised thanks to the initiative and entrepreneurial spirit of a few shopkeepers, most of them from Bettembourg. In 1955, they began the first infrastructure works, and by the following year, the official opening of this new tourist attraction, under the name "Parc Merveilleux," was celebrated. Under the leadership of its first director, Jean Gales, the only leisure park in the Grand Duchy reached its peak in the 1970s.

1997- Today

In 1997, APEMH decided to acquire the majority of the shares of Parc Merveilleux in order provide tailored training and employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

This has enabled the park to develop and modernize over the years to the point where it is at today. A record of 270,000 visitors were recorded in 2018.

Today, Parc Merveilleux is:

An accredited zoo, featuring new playgrounds, a zoological school, revived fairytales, attractions, regular exhibitions, and a host of other services that make it a theme park truly worthy of its name.