Da Vinci staircase in Chambord castle. Chambord Castle: photos and interesting facts about the most beautiful palace in France
The unusual castle of Chambord in France is one of famous palaces Loire, considered an outstanding architectural monument of the Renaissance. It was erected on the personal instructions of King Francis I, who intended to rest in it with his beautiful mistress Countess Turi, who lived nearby. The palace is located on the bend of the Cosson River, a branch of the Bevron River, which is the left tributary of the Loire. Chambord is only 6 km from the left bank of this largest waterway in France.
History of the castle
It is interesting to trace the history of Chambord in its modern form appeared here only in the middle of the XVI century. The estate, most of which was occupied by forests, was acquired by the family of the Dukes of Orleans from the Count of Blois. At the end of the 15th century, representatives of this dynasty ascended the throne, which automatically made Chambord a royal residence.
Dilapidated medieval castle on the estate did not at all correspond to the dignity of the proud French monarchs, so Francis I decided to build a new palace.
Although the name of the architect is still unknown, certain historical sources claim that the great Leonardo da Vinci himself participated in the development of the project. It is difficult to say whether this is really true: the famous painter died in 1519, when construction was just beginning. However, art historians claim that the castle staircase, which consists of two intertwined spirals, was created by the genius Leonardo. The flights of stairs of its two branches are arranged in such a way that people going up and down it will never collide.
The reviews of contemporaries about the construction of Chambord Castle were not too flattering. The very process of erecting walls and fortifications looked grandiose enough for that era, but we can safely say that the new estate was created on blood and bones. More than 200 thousand tons of stone were required for construction work, and about 2 thousand people took part in them. Many of them did not live to see the completion of construction due to exorbitant physical activity and swamp fever, which is common in this swampy area.
The building was completed in 1547, after the death of the monarch, who visited Chambord only a few times to hunt. For a hundred years, the castle remained practically abandoned until, at the end of the 17th century, Louis XIV ordered it to be slightly rebuilt. In particular, a new roof was installed on the chapel, and some of the rooms were combined into royal apartments. In 1670, it was here that the first performance of Molière's famous comedy "The Tradesman in the Nobility" was successfully held.
In the first half of the 18th century, Stanislav Leshchinsky became the temporary owner of the Chambord Palace.- Polish monarch in exile, who was the father of the wife of Louis XV. Then, before the start of the French Revolution, the building first housed an army barracks, then turned into the laboratory of the mysterious alchemist Comte Saint-Germain. After the revolutionary upheaval and until 1930, the castle passed from one French aristocrat to another until it became the property of the state.
During the Second World War, priceless works of art from the Louvre were hidden in Chambord, in particular the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Despite the fact that part of the building was destroyed by fire during this period, the palace has been relatively well preserved and is now open to tourists.
What to see in the castle
The photo shows that Chambord Castle is built from large blocks of white sandstone. This gives it a special flavor, making the building lighter and more airy than the gloomy medieval citadels. The length of the facade exceeds 150 m, and the width of the building is just over 110 m. The palace consists of more than 400 rooms, interconnected by 77 stairs. There are about 300 fireplaces, which are considered real works of art, and numerous capitals are decorated with 800 sculptural compositions.
According to the reviews of tourists, the following objects deserve attention in the Chambord estate:
- Donjon - the central tower of the palace, giving it a resemblance to medieval citadels. It has five floors, each of which has 4 round and square rooms. The rooms are connected by 4 narrow galleries corresponding to the cardinal points, which converge at the central double staircase.
- The chapel in the western part of the castle, designed by the famous architect of that era, Jean le Gumbl, and the apartments of the ruler of France in the east wing. Such an arrangement was rather non-standard for a royal residence. It meant that the monarch lives in rooms directed towards Jerusalem and considers himself the head of not only secular, but also spiritual power in the country.
- Double spiral staircase in the center of the palace. It attracts attention not only by the fact that the ascent and descent along it are separated in space, but also by a beautiful carved pattern. The staircase goes around the donjon along its entire length and leads to a giant terrace, from which you can see beautiful view on chimneys and roof capitals. A small lighthouse tower is installed above the spans, perfectly visible not only from the outside, but also from the inside of the building, when a person stands on the lower floor. The height of the tower exceeds 30 m, and its top is decorated with a lily - a symbol of the French kings.
- The second floor of the palace. Its vaults bear the emblems of Francis I (a salamander and the letter F, ending in a royal crown) and his mother Louise of Savoy (a knotted lace). On the stairwells, some of the monograms, located next to the terraces, are placed upside down so that the Lord sees them and can appreciate the power of the king.
- Tapestries-cloths "The Hunt of King Francis", created in the first half of the 17th century. They were made by hand, even before the opening of the famous royal manufactory for the production of tapestries.
As the legends say, the French monarch and Jean Le Gumbl developed a grand project for the 16th century to divert the Loire from its bed in such a way that the waters of the river flowed right in front of the castle. However, on reflection, the ruler discarded this idea, the implementation of which would have been too expensive.
Tours and prices
If you believe the description from the guidebooks, Chambord Castle has practically no analogues not only in France, but throughout Europe. More than 30 years ago, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, so it deserves careful attention. Once here, be sure to visit:
- Stair maze connecting small spiral staircases, picturesque terraces and open galleries. It is believed that such a layout made it possible to avoid the meeting of the king's numerous mistresses with each other.
- Museum of hunting and nature located on the second floor. Paintings dedicated to the theme of hunting, authorship of Rubens, Snyders, Cranach and other great painters are exhibited here.
- A park. It occupies more than 5 hectares and is surrounded by the longest wall in France with a total length of over 30 km. Tourists have access only to a small fenced area of 1000 hectares. The park is home to deer and wild boars, as well as many species of birds.
From January to March and from October to December tours of the castle are held from 10:00 to 17:00, from April to September - from 9:00 to 18:00. The entrance ticket will cost 11 EUR. You can buy it no later than 30 minutes before closing.
How to get from Paris
You can get from Paris to Chambord by the TGV train, which departs from Austerlitz train station. Traveling in a luxury compartment will cost about 35 EUR, the cost of a second class ticket is 23 EUR. The duration of the trip does not exceed 1.5 hours, and you should get off at the Blois stop.
You can also get to the castle from Gare Montparnasse with one change. To do this, you need to get to Saint-Pierre-de-Corp, a town not far from Tours (a ticket will cost about 40 EUR - 50 EUR). Here you will have to transfer to the local train TER, which will take you to Blois in just 25 minutes.
Chambord is a real encyclopedia of the heyday of the royal monarchy. Visiting the castle, you will learn a lot fascinating facts about the life of prominent representatives of the Bourbon dynasty.
Do you like to see this World? Do you travel to different countries?
Have you ever been to the Chateau de Chambord? Have you walked along the Loire valleys?
There are castles, reflected in the river and their stairs are torn into the sky.
They were built, indulging the dream of the kings for the queen.
Azulai Elena
Chambord castle complex, recognized as part of world heritage in 1981, was included in the classification of monuments of the Loire Valley.
It is "an outstanding example of a building, architectural ensemble or landscape illustrating one or more significant periods in the history of mankind." 
From the very history of the emergence of this castle breathes romance, because it was built by Francis I only so that the king could be closer to his beloved - Countess Turi, who lived nearby - and at the same time be able to receive guests in the royal residence
Chambord Castle or Chambord Castle (fr. Château de Chambord) is one of the castles of the Loire. It was built by order of Francis I, who wanted to be closer to his beloved lady, Countess Turi, who lived nearby.
Construction was carried out between 1519 and 1547 on the bend of the river Cosson (fr. Cosson) - a small tributary of the river Beuvron (fr. Beuvron), which flows into the Loire, about 6 km from the left bank of the Loire and 14 km east of Blois in the French department Loire et Cher (department number 41).
It is surprising that it took only 29 years (from 1519 to 1547) to build such a hulk - very little time by medieval standards.
But such a pace of construction became possible only because one of the largest construction sites of the Renaissance era was deployed here, on which almost 2 thousand workers worked daily. 
In addition to the scale, the difficulty of construction work should also be noted, because the castle was built on a swampy area, because of which the workers had to drive the foundation piles into the ground by 12 meters, and many builders who worked here died from swamp fever ... 
During recent preventive excavations under the castle, the remains of a round, tower-like sandstone building were found, left over from the castle of the Duke of Orleans (Louis XII), destroyed by Francis I to build his hunting castle in the style of the Italian Renaissance 
It is quite possible that the favorite of Francis I, Leonardo da Vinci, who lived in the Clos-Luce castle, but died just before the start of the construction of the residence, had a hand in the project of the castle. The probability of his participation is high, if only because the king tried to use the unlimited talent of Leonardo almost everywhere
Architecture
Chambord is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable castles, an architectural masterpiece of the Renaissance. The length of the facade is 156 m, the width is 117 m, the castle has 426 rooms, 77 staircases, 282 fireplaces and 800 sculpturally decorated capitals. 
The name of the architect is unknown, but studies prove the participation in the project of Leonardo da Vinci, who was then an architect at the court of King Francis I, but who died a few months before construction began, as well as the participation of Domenico da Cortona, nicknamed Boccador. 
The plan of the castle is drawn around a central object, called the "donjon" because, although it was never intended to repel attacks, it was built on the model of the fortified castles of the Middle Ages. 
Inside the donjon there are 5 residential floors. Each floor has 4 square and 4 round rooms; four corridors between the rooms, as if from four cardinal directions, lead to a double staircase in the center. King Francis I subsequently expanded the castle and lodged in the larger premises of the east wing. 
A chapel was built in the west wing, completed by Jean le Humble. This arrangement of the chapel and royal chambers was unusual for that time: by placing himself in the direction of Jerusalem, the king wanted to show himself as the ruler of spiritual authority in his kingdom. 
It was rumored that Francis I and his friend Jean le Gumble even wanted to change the course of the Loire so that it flowed right in front of the castle, but abandoned such an idea. 
Double, two-way spiral staircase in the heart of the castle more than well conveys the creative style of Leonardo da Vinci. 
Two-way - from two stairs in a spiral, turning in the same direction, but never intersecting, so that those who descended could avoid meeting those who ascended towards them, and vice versa 
On this monumental staircase with carved ornaments, you can climb to a large terrace, also conceived by Leonardo, admire the chimneys and roof capitals and go around the donjon along the perimeter. 
A lighthouse tower rises above the stairs, visible inside the building from the lower floors. It rises above all chimneys, reaching a height of 32 m; at the very top is not the usual cross, but a royal lily.
The second floor is also notable for its vaults, decorated with the emblem of the king (monogram F surmounted by a crown and a salamander) accompanied by a knotted cord - the emblem of his mother, Louise of Savoy.
Some of the monograms of the stairs at the level of the terraces are upside down, - “so that God from the height of heaven sees the royal power”!
Architectural details:
yard
Construction history
Construction began in 1519 and became one of the largest construction projects of the Renaissance.
They say that up to 1700-1800 workers were employed at the construction site. It took about 220,000 tons of stone
Life at the construction site was not easy, especially since the castle was built on a marshy place, many workers died from swamp fever.
The carpenters drove the oak piles of the foundation to a depth of 12 meters. During preventive excavations in 2007, it was found that the southwestern tower rests on a rock of calcareous origin, that traces of a round sandstone building have been preserved - possibly the remains of a tower of a medieval castle that existed before the construction of a real castle 
On carts from the port of Saint-Dyé (Fr. Saint-Dyé), building materials were brought, and especially stone blocks made of white sandstone - a white stone, loose and fragile. Stonecutters, unlike other workers, did not have a fixed salary, they were paid piecework, as it should be for the work of a pieceworker. 
Therefore, on each processed stone they carved their own special inconspicuous sign. Such a signature allowed the treasurer to evaluate and pay for the work; the signs are still visible on some of the stone blocks that have not been graffitied since the castle was opened to the public.
History of the castle owners
Salamander, emblem of King Francis I
In 1392, the family of the Dukes of Orleans bought the large wooded estate of Chambord from the Count of Blois. When the Duke of Orleans becomes King of France in 1498 under the name of Louis XII, Chambord accordingly becomes royal property.
In 1516, Francis I returns from Italy with Leonardo da Vinci and a desire to do something big in the style of Italian Renaissance architecture of the time. In 1519, he chooses Chambord for the construction of a hunting castle on the site of a former fortress castle.
Starting in 1526, 1,800 workers were involved in the construction of a new castle, completed after numerous additions in 1547, after the death of the king. Francis I ends up spending quite a bit of time in Chambord - just a few times to hunt and demonstrate his wealth and greatness to rival Spaniard Charles V.
After the death of Francis I, subsequent french kings not particularly interested in an abandoned castle
In 1639, Louis XIII gives it to his brother Gaston of Orleans.
Louis XIV Stanislav Leshchinsky
Louis XIV in 1684 ordered new internal reconstructions of the castle, a new roof for the chapel, about connecting the four residential chambers of the northern vestibule of the second floor into a suite of rooms for the king, such as the royal apartments in Palace of Versailles. On October 14, 1670, Moliere, with a theater group from Paris, invited by Louis XIV, gives the very first performance of the play "The Tradesman in the Nobility" in the castle.
From 1725 to 1733, the castle was occupied by Stanislav Leshchinsky, the deposed Polish king and father-in-law of Louis XV. From 1745 to 1750 it serves as a barracks for the Moritz regiment.
Louis XV Count of Saint Germain
Tourists are told that in the middle of the 18th century, by permission of Louis XV, the chemical laboratory of Count Saint-Germain was located in the castle.
In 1792, the revolutionary government sells furniture. Napoleon Bonaparte gives the castle to Marshal Berthier. In 1821, the estate will be bought from his widow by means of a national subscription and given to the young Henri d'Artois, Duke of Bordeaux, born the year before.
During the Franco-Prussian War, the castle served as a field hospital. The Count of Chambord in 1871 will turn to the French from Chambord with a manifesto calling for the restoration of the monarchy and the white flag.
Since 1883, the castle has belonged to the Dukes of Parma: Duke Robert of Parma inherits the castle from the Count of Chambord, his maternal uncle.
Robert of Parma
Purchased in 1930 from Elia Bourbon for 11 million francs in gold, Chambord becomes the property of the French state and is managed through the Association of Friends of Chambord.
In 1945, due to a fire, the roof of the southeastern donjon was partially destroyed. In 1947 begins big job to turn the castle into the most important tourist facility, offering since 1952 also light and sound evening performances. 
Interiors:
Incidentally, Chambord Castle Park is today Europe's largest enclosed forest-type park - an area of 5,441 hectares (of which 1,000 hectares are open to the public) is surrounded by long wall in France, 32 km long!
Listed since 1981 world heritage UNESCO number 933. Since 2005, the castle has the status of a state public and commercial enterprise.
In 2007, 17,300 Scouts celebrated the centenary of Lord Baden Powell's founding of the Scout organization for three days in the castle park. On the second floor of the castle there is now a branch of the Museum of Hunting and Nature.
The “emptiness” of this historical monument is a myth and a false impression, although in fact the castle has been empty from time to time since its construction. The mobile court changed its residence depending on the season, and the arrangement of the royal chambers was of a temporary and rather necessary nature.
Thus, the lack of permanent furnishings was justified. As a result, the administration of the Chambord complex faced the question of which period of interior to give preference to when restoring the historical setting of the castle - the Renaissance period or the 17th and 18th centuries.
Furnishing Chambord in the style of the era of Francis I was not possible. Royal furniture sets from the Renaissance have not survived to our time, including even in such institutions specializing in the history of that period, such as, for example, National Museum Renaissance in Ekuane. In the 16th century, the main attention was paid to the architecture of the castle, which in itself was a real work of art.
Opening hours and tickets
Opening hours: the castle is open to tourists all year round, except for January 1 and December 25. From January 2 to March 31 - from 10.00 to 17.00, from April 1 to September 30 - from 9.00 to 18.00, from October 1 to December 31 - from 10.00 to 17.00. Ticket offices close half an hour before closing
Ticket price: entrance to the castle costs 9.50 euros. For visitors under 18 accompanied by parents - admission is free. Car parking is paid - 3 euros per day.
There are audio guides in Russian. The cost is 4 euros. The duration of the audio tour is one and a half hours. Special free booklets in Russian, issued at the entrance, are a mini-guide to the castle.
How to navigate
Chambord consists of two parts: the castle itself and the surrounding park-reserve. The most famous and visible element of the castle's architecture is the double staircase, a masterpiece that owes its existence to the thought of Leonardo da Vinci. The staircase formed by two spirals in the central part of the structure is arranged in such a way that those descending and ascending could avoid meeting in person. observation decks allow you to see the entire estate, and the chapel, built in the opposite wing from the king, allows you to think about the eternal.
The terraces of the castle, which offer a magnificent view of the rooftops, are the best place to take photos.
Viewpoints of the park for those who love nature and are ready to wait in silence to see some of the inhabitants of the reserve, rare in today's world.
How to get to Chambord
From Paris to Chambord Castle TGV trains depart from the station austrelitz(Gare d'Austerlitz)
France, Chambord castle: the dream of a young king (Loire castles)
Along the Loire, one of the most beautiful French rivers, stone castles of extraordinary beauty lined up, as if in a guard of honor. One of the most beautiful, most grandiose and extraordinary is Chambord castle.
Chambord was built by order of King Francis I, whose heart yearned to be closer to his beloved, Countess Turi, who lived nearby.
The construction of the castle began in 1519 on the site of a hunting lodge. The magnificent and luxurious castle was built for more than 15 years, and, despite financial problems, the monarch did not spare money for his beloved brainchild. Even when he needed funds to pay a ransom for his sons who remained in captivity in Spain, Francis I preferred to use the silver of his subjects and the property of the church, but the construction did not stop.
It is believed that Leonardo da Vinci himself took part in the development of the project of the castle “worthy of gods and legendary kings”, but the death of the great master prevented him from finishing what he started. And yet, many of his ideas were taken as the basis for the construction of Chambord Castle.
The Magic Castle was built in 1537. Its scale is not just amazing - it is stunning! The length of the castle is 156 m, the height is 56 m, it has 426 rooms, 365 fireplaces and 77 stairs (they say that this intricate network of labyrinths of castle stairs did not allow the numerous favorites of the king to collide).
The castle, which is the epitome of all the luxury and grandeur of the Renaissance, is located in the largest fenced park in Europe, the area of which is 5500 hectares (for comparison, this is the area of Paris within the city), and is surrounded by a wall 35 km long!
The castle impresses with sophistication and at the same time grandeur of luxurious interiors and external architecture.
And only one idea remained unrealized - instead of changing the course of the Loire, forcing it to flow in front of Chambord, they changed the course of the Closson river closest to Chambord, which filled the moat around the building.
What about Francis I? For all the time of his reign, the monarch spent only 42 days in Chambord ... He was here on short visits and did not equip the castle until the end of his life.
But his successor, Louis XIV, on the contrary, was very fond of visiting Chambord. Under him, brilliant balls, magnificent knightly tournaments, bright holidays, military parades were held here, operas and plays by Molière were staged. He also completed the arrangement of the royal apartments and the construction of the castle chapel.
In 1930, Chambord was bought for 11 million francs and today belongs to the French government.
Among the most beautiful ancient buildings in the Loire Valley is the French castle of Chambord. Looking at him, it seems that he is floating in the air. It owes its construction to the imperious warrior and aesthete Francis I. Being a hunter, the king decided to build not just a hunting house, but a castle that would amaze with its beauty and splendor. The history of this castle will be discussed in the article.
The castle as the personification of a new era
Chambord is more than just a castle. It arose at the turn of the eras: the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, becoming the personification of the latter. Brilliant evidence of the dawn of King Francis I - a huge construction of the castle with unusual for that time architectural elements rises above the lush greenery of the surrounding landscape. This castle became famous for the rigor of extraordinary architecture and the skillful distribution of exquisite sculptural decorations. It is known that French masons participated in the construction of the castle building, bearing clear traces of the Italian style of Dominico de Cortona and Leonardo da Vinci. The Royal Castle of Chambord is a symbol of the prestige and power of Francis I.
Description of the castle
Initially, the castle was conceived as a fortress, but later it was rebuilt. It looks like a castle in the air, which does not serve the purpose of defense, but only demonstrates the power of a kind king, a connoisseur of beauty. The building has impressive dimensions: the length of the facade is slightly more than 165 meters, and the width is 117 meters, the number of rooms is more than 400.
Peculiar reflection social life the middle of the 16th century - the Chambord castle of France. In the center royal palace, towering above other buildings, a tower with a crown and a lily - symbols of royal power. The left wing is a low chapel with a cross, and rather modest turrets depicting the clergy and nobility, subordinate to the monarch. On the buildings below, there are terraces, and low buildings, like a people who knelt before the throne, and bears the hardships of life on their shoulders.
building material
The castle was built from limestone tuff. This white stone, which is easy to work, is susceptible to destruction under the influence of atmospheric phenomena. Considering this, the basement of the building was made of stone, more resistant to weather conditions. Almost all building materials were delivered from the port of Saint-Dieu closest to the castle, and from there to the construction site along the Loire River. The roofing slate of Chambord Castle (pictured below), reminiscent of Italian marble, was used for geometric patterns decorating attics and chimneys. During the time of Francis I, the roofs were also covered with gilded lead, which made an indelible impression on the guests of the king.
Francis abandoned his plan to change the course of the Loire, instead a canal was dug from a tributary of the river, and a moat with water appeared around the castle. It was a grand idea in its scope. By the way, the castle was built by 18,000 workers for 17 years.
Despite this, the huge cost of building the castle was worth it. Francis made an impression on his sworn enemy Charles V. "Come to me," he said to the Roman emperor, referring to Chambord. And indeed, when his opponent arrived at the castle, he allegedly exclaimed: "This is the sum of everything that mankind could create in art!"
castle stairs
But what is really hidden behind the lily and the crown? How can one get, if not in life, then at least in a fairy-tale palace, from the bottom to the very top? These are the stairs of the castle, of which there are 77 in it, external and internal. Among them is the central, one of a kind, double spiral staircase of the Chambord castle. This is a miracle of the inventive mind of Leonardo da Vinci. It consists of two different, open, and located one above the other spans. The staircase twists around a hollow column, at the bottom of which there is a passage through which one can easily get from one staircase to another.
The great genius never saw the castle. He passed away when construction had just begun. According to eyewitness accounts recorded in historical papers, he died in the arms of his patron. The construction of the castle was never completed for centuries. Here is what Francis himself said about this: "If someone, starting construction, thought about its completion, it would never have begun."
Remarque from the memoirs of Mademoiselle de Montalcier (1659)
"The staircase is the most amazing and unusual element of the palace. It is made in such a way that the one who climbs it sees the one who descends, but does not meet him. The owner of the house liked to play this game with me. He went down the stairs , and I was going up. He was very amused by the thought that I thought I should meet him. I was also very amused. "
Internal description of the castle
Without this famous staircase, there would be no main central object, called the donjon. The beautifully designed trusses of the donjon were built by shipbuilders. They did this in short intervals between fierce battles with Charles V, when the navy did not need their help.
Chambord Castle was never intended to repel attacks, but was built as an example of a fortified castle of the Middle Ages. It, perhaps also on the idea of Leonardo da Vinci, housed the first modern royal apartments. For the first time, identical rooms appear, located one above the other on several floors. Right next to the stairs, large halls begin, located in the shape of a Greek cross, and similar to the streets. They connect rooms, serve for receptions and theatrical performances.
In the corners of the building and in the towers there are four square or round apartments. Each apartment consists of one great hall with high ceilings and six low rooms with lower ceilings.
The apartments are located on different floors and are connected by small spiral staircases. Ideal for conspiracies and intrigues, which the nobility of that time loved .... In addition, there are stairs in the round apartments in the corner towers. There are structures leading to the courtyard. We can say that the main internal attractions of the castle are its stairs.
King's office
Inside the castle of Chambord is the study of Francis I. Everywhere the letter "F". Francis and France begin with her. The salamander on the royal coat of arms represents the king's slogan: "I burn everything, but I do not burn myself." To have a little snack, the king used the usual methods. Francis' small office had a sink and a small stove for heating food. Francis I rarely came to his country castle, and always stayed there for a short time. In all, he spent only 100 days there, according to the king's bibliographers.
hunting grounds
Usually game was served on the table. Unlike his predecessors, the restless Francis did not like hunting with falcons and nets. He preferred baiting, dog hunting on horseback. The length of the wall surrounding the royal hunting grounds was 33 kilometers. You could drive along it in 8 hours. Now here are nature reserves, and they are currently considered the richest game in all of France.
In her memoirs, a contemporary of King Francis, Mademoiselle de Escuderie, a lover of horseback hunting, writes: "Nothing compares to the luxury of the carriages and the joy that we experienced when we killed the hunted beast. The largest deer became our prey in less than an hour."
Continuation of the construction of the castle
After the death of Francis, the construction work was continued by his son Henry II. After that, the monumental building of the castle was empty for many years. Only the Sun King completed the chapel and the left wing of the castle.
In the middle of the facade, between two central towers, windows of the second floor illuminate the apartments Louis XIV. Instead of a salamander and the letter "F" of Francis I, the sun and the letter "L" of Louis XIV appeared in the apartments. The Sun King shared the political views of Francis, who advocated absolutism. He, like his predecessor, came to Chambord to hunt. It was said that love also brought him here. The secrets of Chambord Castle in the era of the gallant age include roof terraces, where there were many nooks and crannies, which became great place privacy of loving couples in the fresh air.
In the castle he built, Molière puts on his performances. By the decree of the king, the premiere of his "The tradesman in the nobility" took place here. The first run of the play was a failure. The courtiers kicked the actors out of the theatre, but Molière's troupe got another chance. This time the king was in a great mood. He liked the way the actors make fun of the nobility, and those who bought the title of nobility. The courtiers also praised the play, which at first was smashed to smithereens. They had to watch it three times in a row.
New owners of the castle
After the era of the Sun King, the castle was empty again for half a century. Chambord was a little revived by the stay in it of King Stanislav Leshchinsky, expelled from Poland, and his wife, father-in-law and mother-in-law Louis XV. Although the exiled king ordered that the moat be filled up and a park laid out in its place, mosquitoes and malaria forced him to leave. He left with his wife as quietly as he had arrived.
Marshal of Saxony, the illegitimate son of Augustus the Strongest, becomes the next owner. He received Chambord Castle (pictured above) for his military merit. One of the fireplaces, which he brought from Saxony, appeared in the castle. In Chambord, the victorious warrior lived like a king. Together with his personal regiment, the Saxon volunteers, hundreds of soldiers from different countries. French Marshal Maurice de Sax died at the age of 54 after a duel with the jealous Comte de Conti. His last words were: "Life is a dream. My dream was wonderful, but short." After that, Chambord was again empty for a long time, and in sad loneliness gradually fell into decay.
Castle reconstruction
After the French Revolution, the government behaved barbarically: the furniture was sold, the floors were torn off and sold as wood, the wallpaper was peeled off and thrown into the trash. What has become of the castle? They were deserted rooms where a spider had spun a web over Francis I's salamander. The impression was that everyone just wanted to destroy poor Chambord. The castle still existed, but no one needed it... It was a stopover hotel that never existed. Fantasy. Castle in the air made of stone...
During its five hundred years of history, the castle was used as a residence for no more than 20 years. And, as a result, the premises in which they do not live, deteriorate and become unsuitable for living in them ...
Only at the turn of the two centuries did construction and repair begin again in the castle, and to be precise, restoration work after the Second World War.
What was the castle like after the restoration? Now he is white. The castle, whose portrait flaunts on many souvenirs, glossy magazines, tourist brochures in France. Millions of tourists from all over the world strive to get into it to admire its wonderful architecture, penetrate its secrets and taste the branded raspberry liqueur purchased in it.
How to get to Chambord Castle?
The castle, located 120 km from Paris, can be reached along the A 10 motorway, moving in a southerly direction. You need to focus on the Blois pointer. Public transport will also take you to the castle, both by train, bus or taxi. If the trip to the castle is planned for more than one day, you can stay overnight at the hotel, which is located five kilometers from the castle. This is the Chateau de Colliers (Rd 951, 41500 Muides-sur-Loire). It is located in an old estate of the XVIII century, almost on the banks of the Loire.
taste French cuisine will be offered at the Café d'Orleans on the grounds of the castle. You can also buy desserts, appetizers and salads there. Not far from the castle there is a good restaurant Saint Michel (Place Saint-Louis, 41250 Chambord), from the terrace of which the castle is perfectly visible. Everything is provided for a large flow of tourists.
Chambord Castle (Château de Chambord) is located 14 km east of Blois in the department of Loire and Cher among the forests natural area Solon.
The history of the construction of the castle
The vast estate of Chambord with a small castle was purchased by the Duke of Orleans from the Count of Blois in 1392. In 1519, after returning from Italy, King Francis I chooses Chambord for hunting fun and decides to build a more spacious castle here.
The author of his project is not known for certain. According to some reports, it could be Leonardo da Vinci, although he died a few months before construction began. It is more likely that he was an assistant and student of the great Italian D. de Corton. For the construction of the castle, 220 thousand tons of white sandstone were delivered from the pier of the town of Saint-Dieu, and about 1800 workers took part in its construction.
Construction work took place in difficult conditions due to the swampiness of the land and continued from 1519 to 1547. Carpenters had to drive their wooden ones under the foundation of the castle to a depth of 12m.
Style and layout
The architecture of the castle of Chambord obviously follows the stylistic features of the Gothic castles of the Middle Ages. At the same time, the plan of the five-story citadel of the castle is a Greek cross, which is rarely found in residential buildings. On the two rays of the cross were built 4 round towers. Later, two three-story wings were added to it, also ending in towers with hipped roofs and lanterns.
On each floor of the donjon there are 4 round and square rooms connected by corridors leading to the main double spiral staircase. On it you can climb to a large terrace and go around the donjon around the perimeter. Another tower rises above the stairs. Overall Height which is 32 m. On its spire, together with the cross, a royal lily is fixed.
In the western wing, the architect J. Le Goumble built a castle chapel, while the owner's apartments were located in more spacious rooms in the eastern part of the castle. The total length of the facade is 156 m with a width of 116 m. On the 5 floors of the castle connected by 77 stairs, there are 426 rooms and halls. They are decorated with 800 columns with carved capitals, and 282 fireplaces were used for space heating.
succession of owners
After the death of Francis I, Chambord Castle is of little interest to the royal court. Intense social life revived within its walls after Gaston d'Orléans became its owner in 1639. At the end of the century, Louis XIV invites Moliere to Chambord, who staged the play "The Tradesman in the Nobility" for the king.
In the XVIII century. right up to the revolutionary turmoil, the castle belonged first to the former Polish king Stanislav Leshchinsky, and then to Marshal Maurice of Saxony. In the middle of the century, with the permission of Louis XV, the Saint-Germain laboratory was located in the castle of Chambord. In 1792, Marshal Berthier, an ally of Napoleon, became its owner. Since 1821 Chambord Castle has been owned by A. d'Artois, Duke of Bordeaux.
During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, the castle housed a hospital. In 1883, the castle was acquired by the Duke of Parma, and in 1930 the French state bought it for 11 million gold francs from E. de Bourbon.
In 1947, work began on the restoration of the castle and its transformation into a major tourist, cultural and entertainment center. Since 1971, the second floor of Chambord Castle has housed Art Gallery Museum of Hunting and Nature in Paris. The halls display paintings by Rubens, Brueghel St., Snyders, Cranach dedicated to the hunting theme.
Castle park
Next to the castle is located in the XVI century. an extensive park covering an area of about 7 thousand hectares. Only 14% of its territory is accessible to tourists. The whole park is surrounded by a colossal wall 32 km long, which has 6 gates. About 100 species of birds live in the protected area and you can meet wild boar, roe deer or deer.
In 1684, J. A. Mansart plans to create a regular park in front of the castle facade, consisting of two parts. It was not possible to carry out all the plans at once, since the work was suspended until 1734. The next stage in the history of the park is associated with the work of the gardener Zh-B. Pattara. In 1750, the botanical collection of the garden was enriched by plantings of boxwood, chestnut, orange trees, lemons and pineapples.
In the 19th century the garden is in disrepair and its revival takes place only in the 1930s under the leadership of A. Dashen. In 2010-2016, the garden was again updated according to the project of P. Tevo. At the same time, 18 thousand m2 of lawns were ennobled, 15 thousand plants and 1.2 thousand trees and shrubs were planted.
When the Duke of Orleans ascended the throne under the name of Louis XII, the domain became the property of the French Crown. This elegant castle was built by Louis XII's cousin and successor, Francis I, who became King of France in 1515 at the age of 20.
Francis I. Portrait by Jean Clouet, 1525, Louvre
After the capture of Milan, Francis I was lucky to see architectural masterpieces Northern Italy and at the same time he invited Leonardo da Vinci to France.
The passionate desire of the king to see a building that could combine the style of the Italian Renaissance with the traditional french style was only partially satisfied with the reconstruction of the castle.
Leonardo da Vinci in 1517 worked on a project for a castle that was never completed; in 1519 he died at Clos Luce near Amboise.
Francois I with Leonardo da Vinciin 1519
In the same year, construction work began on the construction of a building intended to become the decoration of the Chambord hunting estate. ancient fortification was demolished to make way for a new castle.
Castle plan
More than 1,800 people were employed in the construction work on the construction and further expansion of the building, which began in 1526.
The name of the architect who created this project has not come down to us, but the analysis of frame structures reveals a huge influence of Leonardo da Vinci and a clear resemblance to some of the developments of Domenico da Cortona.
The architects planned to build a fortress, so the walls here are thick, the ceilings are high, the halls are damp and cold.
Pierre-Denis Martin - View of the castle of Chambord from the park 1722
They were supposed to be heated by 365 fireplaces located in the bedchambers (their number coincides with the number of days in a year). The castle has three floors, more than 440 rooms.
And although in the course of the work they tried to turn Chambord into a comfortable home, the internal structure is still more suitable for defense against enemies than for relaxation.
Old drawing of the castle of Chambord, southeast side Date 1749
The heart of the castle is the donjon, a square building with round towers at the corners. Of course, this building was no longer designed for defense. With its monumental forms, it should symbolize the greatness of the owner's power. However, according to tradition, a deep moat with water was dug in front of the castle (filled in in the 18th century) and a drawbridge was installed.
The fence of the castle has a rectangular shape. Two round fence towers flanking the central entrance, later called "Royal", were low, with a flat roof, so that there could be guards with light guns attached to them. Two other towers, completed with high conical roofs, were already connected with the composition of the opposite, north-western facade, which became the main one. In the inner corners of them were spiral staircases, reminiscent of the staircase in the castle of Blois.
The famous double spiral staircase in the center of the castle rises from the ground floor to a skylight that rises above the roof. The double spirals of her marches are enclosed in an octahedron, forming a powerful trunk. It is like an independent pavilion, standing in the center of the Greek equal-ended cross of intersecting vaulted halls - the "Halls of the Guard".
Such an unusual architectural fantasy created a kind of game labyrinth in the spirit of new secular inventions, which significantly distinguished this staircase from its prototype - a staircase with two independent flights in the Parisian church of St. Bernardin. In contrast to examples of Gothic architecture, which gave the staircase a service function and enclosed it in a stone case, here the staircase occupies a central position in the composition of the interior space, being its best decoration. White stone from the banks of the Cher and Indre, which made the facades of the palace glow in the sun, like a crystal, in an interior with subdued lighting, opens with its other qualities - almost sculptural plasticity of all elements, gently drawing every detail.
Going up one row of steps and going down another, each time you can perceive the same interior space in a new way. Cross-shaped passages, like bridges, lead from the stairs to the second floor. She herself rises into a tower-shaped lantern, towering on the terrace of the donjon. The coffered arches of the stairs contain, alternating in a checkerboard pattern, the initial F and the image of a salamander (symbols of Francis I).
Each spiral march has its own entrance.
Panoramic view of the double helix staircase.
A person ascending "his" spiral can see someone walking along another only through small windows, but they will not be able to meet each other. This staircase, of course, is related to the design of the castle by Leonardo da Vinci with his staircase of four flights, overlapping each other, but nowhere intersecting. It is very possible that the Leonardo da Vinci staircase was conceived for the Chambord castle, but was subsequently simplified during the construction process.
The plan of the castle, strictly symmetrical, has a symbolic meaning: the residential building with its identical apartments, intended for the palace nobility, was located between the royal wing and the wing with the chapel, that is, between earthly power - transient, and heavenly power - eternal. Other analogies arise from a careful study of the park: the trees of high timber forests symbolize the French people, protected by the borders of the country, represented by a round fortress wall, 33 kilometers long...
All apartments, located on different floors of the keep, overlook interior spaces, forming a cross with a staircase in the center.
The residential building was the residence of the court; on each of its three floors there were halls arranged crosswise, in which everyday life inhabitants of the castle. Balls were held on the third floor in halls with coffered and vaulted ceilings. The sectors, separated by the crossbeams, housed four apartments on each floor, while the other four were in the corner towers. The apartments included one large hall of the same height as the floor, and two other rooms - a bedroom and a dressing room, above which were the servants' rooms. Most of rooms, or rather 365 out of 440, were equipped with fireplaces, enabling autonomous heating.
First floor
Here is the entrance to the chapel (west wing), the entrance to the royal (east) wing, an exhibition of carriages and an exhibition of sculpture.
Horse-drawn carriages are assembled in the carriage room. They were never used, as they were ordered by the Count of Chambord from the carriage master Binder in 1871 specifically for the solemn entry of the new king into Paris, which never took place. Saddles and other saddlery were made by the famous Parisian firm Hermes.
The sculptural decoration of the interiors of the castle, made in 1525-1550, clearly gravitates towards Italian classical art. The carving of the capitals of the classical order reveals, however, a typical French taste.
Statue of Madame Elisabeth 1792Sister of Louis XVI
Second floor
On the second floor, visitors can get acquainted with various options for furnishing the castle's living quarters from the 16th to the 19th centuries, thanks to the recreation of interior elements of those times.
Fireplace on the second floor of Chambord castle
Chambers of Francis I located in the east wing. This is easy to see from the numerous images of lilies and the salamander (the royal heraldic symbol) used in the external and interior decoration, for example, on the door:
At first, Francis was housed in a donjon, but soon decided to move to the east wing of the building, which is accessed by a gallery and an external spiral staircase. This wing includes one room, two offices, a small chapel and a meeting room.
king bed
The royal statue of King Francis I (1494-1547)
King's apartments, located in the northeast corner, included two additional rooms: a huge elongated hall intended for official receptions, lit by a series of windows similar to the windows of some rooms of the Palace of Fontainebleau, and another, smaller hall, which could be reached by stairs. This hall, which served as a study, was made in the style of the Italian Renaissance. The coffered ceiling of the hall, illuminated on both sides by windows cut into the walls, is decorated with sculptural reliefs reproducing the salamander and the letter F, the emblem of King Francis I. The salamanders symbolize the king's motto "Nutrsco et extinguo", which can be translated as "I feed on (good fire) and extinguish (bad fire)."
Office of Francis I
State Apartments were created in 1680, when two separate apartments located along northern facade buildings were combined into one to bring the castle in line with the rules of etiquette that were introduced during the reign of Louis XIV.
State apartments 1861
Therefore, the north vestibule was eliminated. The security hall, the first and second anterooms, the main hall and private apartments pass one into the other, as in Versailles. The decoration of the front apartments, which you see today, was commissioned by Marshal of Saxony in the 18th century. The furnishings have been restored to this last known state of the premises.
There are tapestries and portraits of famous historical figures and a marble bust of Louis himself.
royal chapel(entrance from the ground floor), which occupies the western tower of Chambord, began to be built under Francis I, and completed under Louis XIV, the architect of Versailles J.A Mansart. Its architectural design is also inspired by Italian art dating back to antiquity: two paired Doric columns and pediments join at the top of a large vault, which in the original design also had a coffered decoration. The hall of the chapel of unusual size is the largest room of the castle.
Queen's Apartments, in which the two spouses of Louis XIV, Marie-Therese of Austria and the Marquise de Maintenon, lived in turn, are located in the tower next to the apartments of the king. They also consisted of a security hall, two hallways, a hall and private apartments. In the 19th century, one of the hallways was converted into a dining room by order of the Duchess de Berry.
Apartment XVIII centuries saw the busiest time in the life of the castle - for 12 years they were occupied by close people of Stanislav Leshchinsky and Marshal of Saxony. The criteria for comfort have changed significantly since the time of Francis I: in order to ensure sufficient heating of the castle, the volume of the halls was reduced by dividing them into several rooms, creating niches and lowering the ceilings. In the large fireplaces of the 16th century, fireplaces of a more modest size were arranged. It recreates the atmosphere of the Enlightenment.
Polish bed from the "room of oleanders"
Furnace with coat of arms of Marshal of Saxony
The living quarters have been refurbished and Museum of the Count of Chambord- the last owner of the castle and the last of the direct descendants of Louis XVI - in memory of one of the important periods in the history of France. The Count of Chambord remained the owner of the castle from 1821 until his death in 1883, but he spent only three days there. He was to take the throne of France in 1871 after the defeat of France in the war with Prussia. Having renounced the throne, the count went into exile, and the Third Republic was proclaimed in France. Among the museum's exhibits are the Count's collection of military toys, his crockery and silverware, his state bed, and a series of prints and portraits that belonged to his mother, the Duchess de Berry.
Gallery of miniature guns
Bed of the Comte de Chambord, made in Nantes in 1873 by Émile Punchon
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