Leonberg Palace is based on a castle built by Count Ulrich I of Württemberg (1226–1265) around1248/49. It is therefore one of the oldest royal residences in Württemberg. Between 1560 and 1570 this complex was converted under Duke Christoph (1515–1568) to a palace for securing the restrengthened state of Württemberg.
The palace became famous in 1609 when the Duke's widow Sibylla of Württemberg, born Anhalt-Zerbst-Bernburg (1564–1614), moved in. She used her considerable inheritance to have the palace decorated by the renowned Renaissance architect Heinrich Schickhardt (1558–1635). Below the building she had Schickhardt lay out a terraced pleasure garden, which is the only preserved Renaissance garden in Baden-Württemberg today.
While the building is now used as a tax office (Finanzamt), the Bitter Orange Garden (Pomeranzengarten) is open for visitors to stroll through at their leisure.