In 1536 Duke Ludwig X commenced the town palace today known as the "German Building". During an Italian journey, which also took him to Mantua, he was inspired by the splendour of the Palazzo del Té built by Giulio Romano, and commissioned Italian architects for his Landshut project.

The result was the "Italian Building", the first Renaissance palace on German soil. The paintings on the coffered vault illustrating humanist ideas are primarily the work of Hans Bocksberger the Elder.

The neoclassical Birkenfeld Rooms are unique with their rare French wallpapers dating from 1803.