London’s zoo is known for its long-standing history. Originally, it was the king’s menagerie, where he owned wild animals in cages for entertainment. Lions, leopards, bears and other exotic animals were used to fascinate the people there.
In the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth opened the “Tower Menagerie” to the public. Those who could afford it, could visit the wild animals from Africa. All this was quite expensive. In the 18th century, you had to pay 3 ½ Pence for the entry. This was quite a lot at that time and especially for the countrymen. What did those people have to bring with them to see all the legendary beasts from the Empire? The answer was: a cat or a dog. People could also pay with animals and watch them being eaten by the lions. Crazy times!
Copyright and Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menagerie#Medieval_period_and_Renaissance
