Schloss Leonberg

Schloss Leonberg stands in the south-west corner of the old town of Leonberg in Baden-Württemberg. Built in the mid-13th century as part of the town’s fortifications under Count Ulrich I of Württemberg, it was later transformed into a residence. In the 16th century Duke Christoph commissioned Aberlin Tretsch to convert the medieval castle into a Renaissance palace, creating the three-part structure still visible today. The palace became a favoured hunting lodge for Duke Christoph and later a widow’s seat for Duchess Sibylla of Anhalt-Zerbst. Architect Heinrich Schickhardt added a loggia supported by four arches on the south side, resting on the town wall and opening from the duchess’s chamber. Below lay a new Italianate pleasure garden, the Pomeranzengarten, planted with citrus trees. The façade still bears the combined coat of arms of Anhalt-Zerbst and Württemberg marking her residence. Today the central building houses the local tax office and the Amtsgericht, while the east wing once served as stables and the west as a granary. The courtyard retains its historic arcades and the remains of the terrace garden. The plain outer wall facing the Glemstal valley contrasts with the ornate courtyard front, a reminder of the building’s dual roles as fortress and residence.