The Penza Zoo, formerly known as the Archbishop's Garden, served as a summer residence for the spiritual leader of Penza.

The publication "Proceedings of the Penza Scientific Archive Commission" (Vol. 2, 1904) mentions that during Bishop Athanasius's time, the estate of the late Dr. Peterson was acquired outside the city on Upper Peshe Street. In 1797, it was granted to him in perpetual ownership, and on October 31, 1812, Peterson's children, Alexander and Nikolai, sold it to Bishop Athanasius, of Penza and Saratov, for 4,000 rubles.

The Archbishop's Garden also had underground passages. In Samsonov's book "Underground Secrets," it states: "We managed to walk through a later type of underground, arched, made of red brick. Such a tunnel was discovered by workers during the construction of house No. 7 on Krasnaya Street" (opposite the zoo).

To this day, house No. 12, which was part of the estate, has been preserved.

On the territory of 10.5 hectares, there are three water bodies with natural feeding, as well as a unique collection of tree, shrub, and herbaceous species.

The zoo is also interesting because along its southern border are the remnants of the rampart of the defensive line (Pervomaisky Lane).