The building is designed in a distinctive Moorish style, inspired by the Alhambra in Granada. The style includes the characteristic arches, ornate details, and the octagonal dome.
It was built between 1842 and 1853 by order of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg, originally as a bathhouse and later as a royal retreat with a covered walkway. It was part of a larger historic park.
Today, it still serves as the most prominent building at the main entrance to the Wilhelma, which is both a zoo and a botanical garden.