Landshut City Residence

Beautiful historic building in the old town

The Landshut city residence enjoys a high status in the history of art and architecture as a spectacular Italian Renaissance palace, which is virtually offset to the north. Duke Ludwig X of Bavaria, who lived in Trausnitz Castle as co-regent with his brother, who was residing in Munich, had the foundation stone laid for a new residence in the city in 1536. Under the direction of the Augsburg architect Bernhard Zwitzel, this was begun in the style of the German Renaissance and later called the "German Building". On a trip to northern Italy, the Bavarian duke became acquainted with the modern residences of Italian princes. The Palazzo Te of the Duke of Mantua, built by Giulio Romano, in particular motivated and influenced his plans. Behind the German Building, a second palazzo, the "Italian Building", was built from 1537 under the direction of Italian architects, and was eventually connected to the German Building by wings. To this day, the spacious residence complex encloses one of the most beautiful Italian-style courtyards north of the Alps.