Circus Krone, based in Munich, is the largest circus in Europe[1] and the only one in Western Europe to also occupy a building.
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It was originally founded in 1905 by Carl Krone (1870-1943) as an animal exhibition. Later the circus was run by his daughter Frieda Sembach-Krone and her husband Carl Sembach-Krone. Since 1995 their daughter Christel Sembach-Krone has run the circus.
Since 1919, the circus has also owned the Circus Krone Building in Munich. On December 12, 1944, the building was destroyed by bombing attacks. In 1950 it was rebuilt as a circus building with a seating capacity of 3,000 spectators.
Notable people employed by the circus include the animal trainer and performer Martin Lacey, Jr., who is their director of predatory animals.[2]
Circus Krone has a circus tent with 5,000 seats with a diameter of 48 by 64 metres and a dome height of 14 metres. It covers an overall area of approximately 2,000 square metres.
Animals used at the circus include: 15 lions, five Asian elephants and three African elephants, a hippopotamus, a rhinoceros, about 60 horses, and various monkeys, pigs, porcupines, goats, zebras and parrots.