Leonberg

Leonberg
Traditional houses on market square
Coat of arms
Leonberg
Location of Leonberg within Böblingen district
Coordinates: 48°48′5″N 9°0′47″E / 48.80139°N 9.01306°E / 48.80139; 9.01306Coordinates: 48°48′5″N 9°0′47″E / 48.80139°N 9.01306°E / 48.80139; 9.01306
Country	Germany
State	Baden-Württemberg
Admin. region	Stuttgart
District	Böblingen
Government
• Mayor	Bernhard Schuler
Area
• Total	48.73 km2 (18.81 sq mi)
Elevation	386 m (1,266 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	47,219
• Density	970/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	71229
Dialling codes	07152
Vehicle registration	BB / LEO
Website	www.leonberg.de

Leonberg is a town in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg about 16 kilometres (10 miles) to the west of Stuttgart, the state capital. Approximately 45,000 people live in Leonberg, making it the third biggest borough in the rural district ('Landkreis') of Böblingen (after Sindelfingen and Böblingen to the south).

Leonberg is most famous for its picturesque market square, the centuries-old annual horse market, its past role as seat of one of Württemberg's first parliaments, and the Pomeranzen garden- Germany's only remaining terraced garden which dates back to the late renaissance.

Leonberg lies on the east bank of the Glems river on the lower slopes of a prominent hill known locally as Engelberg (literally: "Angel Hill"). The Glems flows into Leonberg from the southeast before turning north west until it reaches the district of Eltingen. Here it turns northeast into the western part of the old town, carving its way along the valley to the district of Höfingen before flowing northeast towards Ditzingen. For administrative purposes the northern districts of Höfingen and Gebersheim belong to Strohgäu.

Leonberg is surrounded by the following communities (clockwise, starting from the north):
Ditzingen and Gerlingen (districts of Ludwigsburg), Stuttgart, and then the Böblingen rural districts of Magstadt, Renningen and Rutesheim.

Leonberg merged with the neighbouring town of Eltingen in 1938 which now flows seamlessly into the former old town. Administrative reforms in 1975 also resulted in the districts of Gebersheim, Höfingen and Warmbronn becoming part of Leonberg. Central Leonberg encompasses Silberberg, Ramtel, Gartenstadt and the residential neighbourhoods of Eichenhof, Glemseck, Hinter Ehrenberg, Mahdental and Rappenhof. The district of Höfingen also includes the residential neighbourhoods of Tilgshäusleshof and Wannenhof.