Chambord Castle: photos and interesting facts about the most beautiful palace in France. Chambord castle

Renaissance masterpiece, royal whim - both of these definitions are ideal for the majestic Chambord, the most magnificent royal residence on the Loire. The castle, located east of Blois, dominates the entire area. Some believe that Chambord is second only to Versailles in its splendor, while others object, saying that the design and scope of the palace on the Loire overshadows the Parisian residence of the Bourbons.

Frankly, I did not know all this when I chose the castles to visit - rather, it was an intuition superimposed on the route.
Chambord is the most big castle Loire Valley, it is with him that most travel agencies begin their inspection of castles. This is a kind of "gateway" to the Loire Valley. But on my list, he turned out to be only the fourth .. I want to say right away that there are no special stories connected with him - the castle was built as hunting lodge. The kings came, hunted for a few days and went back. And the fact that this "house" looks more like a palace, otherwise you can't call it a whim of the king. But I love weirdos, and royal eccentricities even more so.

History of the castle
Chambord is one of the finest Renaissance castles in the Loire Valley. The area on which it rises belonged in the tenth century to the counts of Blois, Champagne and Châtillon. In 1392 it was acquired by Louis of Orleans. When he 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. Immediately after his accession to the throne, Francis set off to conquer the province of Milan in Italy, which his predecessor had failed to preserve.

Francis I, King of France

After returning to France, the young and ambitious king, who won the battle near the city of Marignane, passionately carried away by Italian Renaissance architecture and hunting, begins the construction of Chambord Castle. After the capture of Milan, Francis I was lucky to see architectural masterpieces Northern Italy. Then 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 of Blois. Leonardo da Vinci in 1517 worked on the design of the castle, which was never implemented, since in 1519 the artist died in Clos-Luce near Amboise. Francis I loved Leonardo very much, called him his father and was with him until the very last minute of his life.

The construction of Chambord began in the same year, the year of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, 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 discovered 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.

Carts from the port of Saint-Dyé brought building materials and especially stone blocks made of white sandstone, a white, loose and brittle stone. 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.

Starting construction, the architects of Francis took as a basis a typical plan for castles of the late Middle Ages: a central fortified tower (donjon), located inside the fortress walls. ancient fortification was demolished to make way for a new castle. 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 work continued for many years. Under Francis I, a donjon was built, but the king spent a total of 72 days in the castle for all 32 years of his reign. In 1537, the residential building was completed, and in 1540, two floors were built in the wing with royal apartments, the lower floor of the wing with the chapel and the walls of adjacent outbuildings; and only in 1547, after the death of the king, the construction of the wing with the royal apartments was completed. At the same time, the chapel was raised to the level of the second floor, 12 years later a third floor was added to it, but the building remained without a roof until 1684.

Life in the castle proceeded mainly on the stairs and in the cross-shaped halls. In order to climb one or another floor, the inhabitants of the castle, in addition to the central staircase, could use other spiral staircases built in the corner towers.

Francis I visited Chambord only on short trips, coming there with his second wife Eleanor of Habsburg and his favorite Anna d "Eily. With the exception of official meetings, he visited the castle only once every two years for a few weeks of the hunting season. The French Crown had at its disposal many other castles, and the movement of the king and his court was quite frequent.In this era, furniture and tapestries were transported from one castle to another, the tapestries served mainly to heat the apartments, which remained closed during the "dead seasons".

Although the castle was not completely ready at that time, in 1539, celebrations on the occasion of the visit of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation Charles V took place in it with pomp and scope. This ceremonial celebration, organized by the master of ceremonies, Baron Montmorency, was held with special scope and pomp.

The imperial retinue, preceded by young girls scattering flower petals, was so delighted with the castle and its interiors that they defined it as "a synthesis of all the most beautiful that human genius is capable of." Francis I, who greatly appreciated female beauty, brought 27 girls of noble birth closer to his court, many girls also adorned the queen's retinue. The king claimed that "a court without women is like a year without spring, and spring without roses." However, in the fall of 1545, he sadly wrote with a diamond of his ring on the glass of the window: "How often women are fickle, the one who believes them is insane ...".

After the death of the king, the court moved to Paris. Henry II, son of Francis I, continued work on the castle. So, he started building the third floor of the chapel, as well as other parts of the castle, which he ordered to decorate with his monogram. It was in the castle of Chambord that in 1552 an agreement was signed confirming the accession to the French Crown of three bishoprics - Metz, Toul and Verdun, which previously belonged to it.

In 1559, after the death of Henry II, work came to a halt again, although his widow Catherine de Medici sometimes came to the castle with her children. Charles IX was very fond of hunting; on this occasion, many stories have been preserved, testifying to the strength and dexterity of the king as a rider and hunter. It was said, for example, that he pursued a deer until it was completely exhausted, not letting off a pack of dogs. Another time, having galloped tirelessly for 10 hours and driven five horses, he blew into his horn so loudly that blood flowed from it.

Henry III and Henry IV did not like hunting, and therefore visited the castle extremely rarely - the castle remained unoccupied for 50 years.
In 1626, Louis XIII ceded the County of Blois, which included Chambord, to his brother Gaston of Orleans. This gift stemmed not so much from kindred feelings, but from the desire to bind a brother to himself, whose loyalty did not always stand the test. Gaston of Orleans, having become the owner of the castle, resumed work on its renovation; they say that he loved to play with his daughter, the future "Great Mademoiselle", on the central staircase of the castle, going up and down its steps, while the little girl, running along the other turn of the stairs, could not catch him.

Chambord was later re-attached to the possessions of the French Crown. Louis XIV, who visited the castle only nine times, however, made great transformations there. So, he did not want to live in the old wing of Francis I, but settled in the new apartments erected in front of the castle. Starting from 1680, the residence was enriched with new halls on the second floor and luxurious interior decoration, at the same time a new monumental entrance was decorated, decorated with a pediment. The territory surrounding the castle, covered with wild herbs and shrubs, was partially transformed into a park.

In 1669, Moliere and Lully created their "Monsieur de Poursonac" here. They played this play in the castle in front of the king even before the premiere. In connection with the indisposition of one of the actors, Lully at the last moment agreed to play the role of one of the doctors, so as not to deprive the sovereign of his favorite pleasure. However, despite the undeniable talent of the comedian and the abundance of buffoonery scenes, Lully noticed that Louis XIV did not laugh; even the scene with the doctors could not cheer the king. Then Lully dared to improvise: going to the edge of the stage, he jumped on the harpsichord in the orchestra, which broke with a huge crash into a thousand small pieces. Only after that the king burst into laughter and began to applaud: from now on, the success of the performance was guaranteed. The following year, another play by Molière, The Tradesman in the Nobility, was given in the castle.

Louis XIV, carried away by military projects, did not complete the construction work. The hunting grounds were gradually transformed into a park. In 1725, Louis XV gave Chambord to his father-in-law, King Stanisław Leshchinsky, who had lost his Polish throne, and continued to improve the residence until he took the throne of the Duchy of Lorraine.

Twenty years later, in 1745, the castle passed to Marshal Moritz of Saxony, the conqueror of Prague, Fontenoy, Rokur and Loufeld. He brought into the castle the volunteers of his regiment, which consisted of Poles, Hungarians, Turks and Tatars, dressed in brilliant uniforms, and the Chef's company of Martinicans on white Ukrainian horses. In 1750, the marshal, who had a weakness for the fair sex, died under mysterious circumstances; By official version, this happened from an allegedly neglected cold, however, there were rumors that the love passion that flared up between the marshal and Princess Conti caused the hero Rokura to be struck down by the sword of the prince. After his death, as a sign of mourning, the cannons of the castle were fired every quarter of an hour for six days.

Moritz of Saxony

Having changed numerous owners, the castle fell under the punishing sword of the Revolution when it was almost destroyed; in 1793, all its magnificent decoration was taken out. The inhabitants of the nearby town decided to disassemble this "abnormal mass into stone and build houses for the patriots," which they tried to do. The situation of the castle, already critical, did not improve during the time of Napoleon, when it passed into the hands of Marshal Berthier.

In 1821, the Legitimists bought the castle and presented it as a gift to the grandson of Charles X, the Duke of Bordeaux, who took the title of Count of Chambord. The last representative of the Bourbon dynasty was a kind of living symbol of the royalist party, striving for the restoration of the monarchy. He could have become king under the name of George V, but he refused all proposals, although he remained loyal to the white flag with golden lilies until his death in exile in 1883.

Comte de Chambord

During the Second World War, when France was occupied by the German army, the castle was occupied by a Nazi general. In 1944, while fleeing, he set Chambord on fire as a "distraction". The castle was saved by poppy guerrillas, and the writer Gaston Montmousseau, who fought in the Loire Valley, said in the words of one of his heroes:

"Here is the castle of the capitalists... I should have hated this castle with its turrets, grand staircases, luxurious wall upholstery. But no, on the contrary, I love it, there is something mine in it..."

This “something of mine” was created by the labor of more than one generation of craftsmen: masons, carvers, carpenters, artists, blacksmiths. Fine words about the charm of Chambord castle were said by the writer Victor Hugo, who compared it with "a woman whose hair was blown by a gust of wind."

Since 1932, Chambord has been owned by the state. In 1948, the forests around the castle received the status national park. About five thousand trees, shady alleys make up the luxurious green frame of the white-stone palace. In the landscape, the palace appears as a vision, "the fabulous halls of Baghdad and Kashmir" (A. de Vigny). He is inconceivable without his environment. If medieval castles, severe and gloomy, seemed alien to the landscape environment, then here we see something else. Both the color of the earth and the greenery of the forest creeping from the Loire create their own mood, their own special atmosphere.

They say that in inclement weather, when lightning cuts the night sky, and the wind howls lingeringly in the forest, on the quiet alleys of the park you can meet a mysterious rider rushing on a black horse. This is the ghost of Count Tybalt, who lives in the castle and goes hunting in the forest of Chambord on rainy nights. The history of the ghost is mysterious and controversial. Someone says that the count died in the forest during a terrible, sudden thunderstorm. Someone claims he fell victim palace intrigues and was treacherously killed during a hunt ... The ghost itself is not dangerous, but its silhouette suddenly appearing from the darkness and rushing ahead can be very frightening.

I completely and completely took the history of the castle from the Internet - I didn’t bother, because there is a big one ahead of us. sightseeing tour, which I myself will conduct, as always. All in all, to be continued.

Chambord Castle is located in the Loire Valley. This palace is an amazingly beautiful building of the Renaissance. In 1981 Chambord Castle was listed cultural property world, so it is under the protection of UNESCO.

In the 16th century, King Francis I, who loved architectural art, ordered the brilliant architect and scientist Leonardo da Vinci to create a project for the castle. For two years, the scientist worked on the project, and although death cut short his life in 1519, most he completed the project.

In the same year, the construction of the castle began, which continued until 1547. From all over France, the most famous masters in their professions of the construction industry gathered. In total, about two thousand workers participated in the construction of the castle. Since the construction was carried out on wetlands, the piles were driven to a depth of more than 10 meters, which justified itself: Chambord Castle stood for centuries, and will exist even longer.

What is surprising: after the huge costs in money and time for the construction of the castle, King Francis I was very rarely there. Only occasionally did he occasionally come to hunt in the reserves around the castle. Also, from time to time he showed off the castle to other kings.

Later in this architectural masterpiece many famous personalities lived, such as Gaston d'Orleans. Who really liked Chambord was Louis XIV, who came here to take a break from the noise of Versailles and palace intrigues. It was Louis who came up with the idea of ​​a partial internal reconstruction of the castle.

At the invitation of the king, famous plays by Moliere were staged here. In the first half of the 18th century, the chemical laboratory of Saint-Germain was located in the castle of Chambord, and in 1745 the castle became a barracks for the regiments of the nobleman Moritz de Sachs. In 1792, Chambord lost much of its domestic luxury due to the sale of paintings and furniture by the revolutionary government. Finally, in 1930, Chambord was bought by the French government for eleven million gold pieces, after which they immediately took up the restoration.

Not only Chambord Castle is distinguished by beauty, but also the surrounding park with an area of ​​​​about 6 thousand hectares with beautiful viewing platforms. Here are the dimensions of Chambord: length 160 meters, width 118 meters. The castle includes more than 400 rooms with old luxurious decoration and furniture.

There are about 80 stairs in the building, which led to the creation of a whole network of labyrinths. The masterpiece of ingenious thought by Leonardo da Vinci is the central staircase: it exists in the form of a huge double-helix structure that rises up and has two entrances. These spirals do not intersect in any section of the stairs, so that people descending never meet people ascending.

WITH central part staircases connect small spiral staircases, terraces, open passages above galleries. On the second floor there is a natural history museum. The castle even has a chapel! The roof is an interesting sight to the eye: hundreds of columns, chimneys, towers rising to breathtaking heights. The central keep consists of 5 floors. The poppy tower, supported by a donjon, rises above the entire castle and is crowned with a royal lily.

Chambord Castle is worthy of the title of the brightest representative of the architectural heritage of the Renaissance, deserving it with its architectural grandeur and exquisite beauty. Its walls absorbed the genius of Leonardo da Vinci. Even the most beautiful photos Chambord Castle will not convey the atmosphere that visitors to this attraction feel.

Chambord Castle (Château de Chambord) is the largest, most recognizable and, according to many, the most beautiful castle of the Loire Valley. It is located in the middle of a huge forest park. All the grandeur of the Renaissance and all its luxury was embodied in the architecture of this huge palace of white sandstone. Chambord is located in the Loire department, 10 km east of […]

is the largest, most recognizable and, according to many, the most beautiful castle in the Loire Valley. It is located in the middle of a huge forest park. All the grandeur of the Renaissance and all its luxury was embodied in the architecture of this huge palace of white sandstone.

Chambord is located in the Loire department, 10 km east of the city Blois. The customer for the construction of the castle was Francis I who liked to hunt in these parts. Some evidence claims that there was another reason for the construction - his beloved, Countess Turi, lived near the castle. The king did not have a permanent residence and wandered along with his court. Each time, carpets, furniture, dishes, other household utensils and luxury items were taken out of the castle. For such grandiose crossings, about 18 thousand horses were required. Francis I throughout his life regularly traveled around all the possessions - such a lifestyle became a torment for his retinue. Sometimes subjects, for whom there was not always a place in castles, had to spend the night in canvas tents right on the street.

One of the authors of the grandiose palace project was Leonardo da Vinci but the ingenious creator did not live to see the realization of his plan. Construction work began in the year of his death - in 1519. Another architect from Italy also participated in the project - Domenico da Cortona.

The construction of Chambord took 220,000 tons of stone. The grandiose building required reinforced support - after all, the construction was carried out on a swampy area. Oak piles were lowered 12 meters deep. Many workers fell ill on the construction site and died of swamp fever. In total, 1800 people were involved in these works. To equip a protective moat around the castle and fill it with water, a canal was dug from the small river Kosson.

The castle was built around a central five-story rectangular tower - "donjon". Internal layout it is made in the form of an antique cross. This tower has 4 halls on each floor. The rooms on the floors are connected by four corridors. On the second floor, the interior rooms are covered with vaults - these vaulted ceilings are decorated with the king's monogram and the emblem of the monarch's mother, Louise of Savoy. Some of the emblems are made in an inverted image, “upside down” - so that the “royal power” is visible to God himself!

In the center of the building is a monumental double staircase, decorated with carved ornaments. It is called "Escalier méridional" - Noon stairs. It consists of two spiral curved marches that do not intersect anywhere. The Escalier méridional opens onto a wide terrace at the top of the donjon. This terrace in former times served for entertainment. At that time, guests of the castle arranged walks and games here, admired the picturesque panorama around the castle. At the very top of the donjon rises a small lighthouse tower. It is located at a height of 32 m, above all the chimneys, and is decorated with a royal lily. The corner towers are oriented to the four cardinal directions. The Renaissance style is clearly visible in the decoration of the roof of the castle, in the bizarre forms of pediments and capitals.

The length of the facade of Chambord Castle is 156 meters, its width is 117 meters. Inside the building there are 426 rooms, more than 280 fireplaces, 77 staircases, 800 capitals decorated with reliefs. Around Chambord there is a huge park with an area of ​​more than 5,400 hectares. The length of the wall surrounding the park is about 30 km. This is the largest forest-type nature reserve in all of Europe. His symbols are the boar and the deer. In the territory park complex there are more than a hundred species of birds.

Construction was completed in 1547, Francis I had died by that time. His successors showed no interest in the huge, costly castle. Louis XIII in 1639 gave it Gaston of Orleans- to his brother.

Interested in the fate of Chambord again Louis XIV. In 1684, he ordered internal changes and rebuilding, ordered the construction of a new roof for the chapel. In October 1670, together with the Parisian troupe, he arrived at the castle molière. Within the walls of Chambord, the actors gave the play "The Tradesman in the Nobility" - it was the premiere of the famous play.

In the XVIII century, the deposed king of Poland lived in the castle - Stanislav Leshchinsky. In the period 1745 - 1750. a regiment was based within the walls of Chambord Moritz. Here, in the middle of the 18th century, with the permission of the king, the laboratory of the famous chemist was located - Count of Saint Germain.

The leaders of the French Revolution in 1789 failed to demolish Chambord, marveling at its greatness. However, a significant part of the furniture was removed and sold. A forage warehouse and a gunpowder factory were located here. The castle fell into complete disrepair. During the Franco-Prussian War, Chambord served as a hospital. Since 1883 it has belonged to Dukes of Parma.

In 1930, the state bought Chambord Castle from the owner - Elias of Bourbon. This deal cost the authorities 11 million francs. In 1945, the castle was significantly damaged by fire, but in 1947 large-scale restoration work began.

Now Chambord is popular tourist facility. It is included under number 933 in the UNESCO list. There are guided tours, evening light and sound performances. None tourist trip The Loire Valley is not complete without a visit to Chambord Castle.

Place Saint-Louis 41250 Chambord, France
chambord.org‎

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The French city of Chambord is famous for only one attraction - the castle of the same name. But this one is worth a lot! Some say that the castle is second in splendor only to Versailles. Others are convinced that, with its design and scope, it even overshadowed the residence of the Bourbon family in Paris. It is clear why Chambord is second in the ranking of attendance (after Versailles) in France.

History of creation

The estate of Chambord, surrounded by forests, was acquired by the Dukes of Orleans back in the 14th century. At the end of the 15th century, the Duke of Orléans, from the Valois branch, became king (called Louis XII). The hunting estate, accordingly, passed into the possession of the crown.

Francis I (successor of Louis XII), inspired by the victory at Marignano and impressed by what he saw in Italy, decided to build a grandiose palace, testifying to the power of the French monarchs. Acquaintance with the artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci increased the desire of Francis to create something grandiose. The genius da Vinci agreed to move to France and design the palace.

To implement the ambitious idea, it was decided to demolish the former Chambord estate and build a real Renaissance palace in its place. In 1519, the dismantling began. After 18 years, an architectural masterpiece has grown on the bend of the Kosson River!

He testified to the power of the crown, served as a hunting estate for the king and his retinue, as well as a meeting place for Francis I with his beloved Countess Turi. The castle continued to be improved until 1685. King Louis XIV, who passionately loved hunting, preferred it.

What to see in the castle

The first thing that impresses is the architecture. The silhouette of the building is made in the Gothic style, and the luxurious decoration is in the style of the early Italian Renaissance. They say that the French castle is no less impressive than the Indian Taj Mahal. Chambord is one of business cards France. The dimensions of the building are 156 meters long and 177 meters wide.

Upon completion of the inspection of the interiors, you can go up to the observation terraces of the roof to contemplate and be impressed by the nature of the estate. The sites offer stunning views that you should definitely take away in the photo.

In July and August, a visit to the Palace Museum can be combined with a night performance of a 50-minute digital video show with audio effects. From May to September, a 45-minute horse show "In the Forest of History" is organized daily.

From April to September in one of the halls there is an exposition of works by Jamel Tata (contemporary art). Chambord is surrounded by a park-reserve of the forest type. Its area is 5441 hectares (1000 hectares of which are available to visitors). The forest park, in turn, is surrounded by a wall. The length of the wall encircling the forest is 32 kilometers, the height is 2.5 meters! Deer, moufflons, roe deer and wild boars are found on the territory of the lands.

Palace interiors and da Vinci stairs

In a palace:

• 426 rooms;
• 77 flights of stairs;
• 282 fireplaces;
• 800 capitals with sculptures.

Only a small part of the premises is available for inspection. In particular:

• 18th century style front apartments;
• queen's apartments;
• 18th century apartments with improved comfort;
• portrait gallery;
• exhibition of carriages;
• chambers of Francis I;
• cabinet;
• conference hall;
• royal chapel;
• Count's Museum.

Although da Vinci did not live to see the start of construction, his handwriting is clearly visible in a number of details. Among the drawings of Leonardo were found drawings of a double spiral (spiral) staircase with two sections of steps. The "innovative" staircase, decorated with carved ornaments, still exists. Its main idea is that the paths of ascending and descending do not intersect. Today, visitors can climb it and appreciate the engineering idea!

Practical information

Address: Château, 41250 Chambord, France.

The cost is 11 €.

Boat rental (Kosson river):

The cost of renting a boat is 12-30 € depending on the type (rowing, electric motor), quantity seats and rental time.

Bicycle, trailer, quad bike rental:

Cost - 4-20 € (depending on the type of transport and rental time).

Guided carriage ride (French):

Walking cost:

Up to 6 years - free of charge.

6-17 years old - 8 €.

Adults - 11 €.

Combined ticket (castle + crew) - 20 €.

Night performance "Chambord - dreams and lights":

Price:

Performance ticket - 13 €

Combined ticket (castle + performance) - 18 €

Horse show "In the forest of history":

Price:

Up to 6 years - free of charge.

6-17 years old - 9 €.

Adults - 12.50 €.

Ticket (castle + show) - 21 €.

How to get there from Paris:

By car: take the A10 motorway and then turn towards Blois or Mer.

Train. Direct flight: station d'Austerlitz (Austerlitz) - station Blois (Blois). Continue by TGV train.

Transfer flight: Montparnasse train station (Montparnasse) - a suburb of Saint-Pierre-des-Corps. Then take the TER train to the Blois station (Blois).

From railway station Blois (Blois) to the castle:

• by taxi (daily);
• by bus 18 - adjusted to the train arrival schedule (from April to early September);
• shuttle bus 2 - with its own schedule (daily).

Famous in France and abroad, Chambord Castle is located in the Loire Valley. The commune of Chambord is not only surrounded by a European forest park, but also includes this amazing attraction. The castle is historical monument, and is considered the largest such structure in the valley.

Chambord: its fascinating history

According to one of the legends, the construction of the castle of Chambord Francis the First was inspired by his desire to be closer to his beloved. The lady of the king's own heart lived nearby. Therefore, the castle was erected in this place.

Initially, the lands in the Loire Valley belonged to the Blois family. In 1397 the land allotment became the property of the Dukes of Orleans. Then a member of this family became King Louis XII. And already in the 16th century, Chambord Castle was erected on this territory.

In 1516, the French king in a bloody battle defeated the duke of Milan. In Italy, the young king of France was so fascinated by the works of art related to the Renaissance that he was determined to embody the ideas of the Renaissance in his French lands.

After the military victory in Italy, Francis I met Leonardo da Vinci. The king invited the architect to his place. And the famous master agreed to become the king's courtier. Leonardo lived in France until his death.

Inspired by his military victories, the king wanted to build in the forests and fields of the Loire whole city. He assumed that Romorantin would become the new capital of the state. And he planned to start with the construction of the castle.

The design of the city was to be based on Alberti's research, such as:

• Mathematics;
• Geometry;
• And rhythm.

During the life of King Francis, only the keep of the castle was completed. It was decorated with 4 towers and 4 halls, which together formed a cross. In 1544, the construction of the royal wing was completed.

Henry II added a wing and a beautiful chapel to the castle. Before the reign of Louis XIV, Chambord was rarely visited. french kings preferred Paris to the distant Loire.

Then the Architect Hardouin-Mansart completed the main stages of construction. But the castle never managed to become the permanent residence of the kings. It has not yet been able to compete with Versailles.

The times of the French Revolution became the most difficult for Chambord. Peasants repeatedly robbed the castle and its nearby buildings. Napoleon sent General Augereau to Chambord to protect his property from robberies.

During its history, the castle lands of the Loire changed their owners many times until they were administered by France again. Today, Chambord is included in the UNESCO list, and is open to tourists from all over the world.

Graceful castle architecture

The elegant building is designed like a castle-fortress. It has a belt of fortifications, as well as side towers with thick walls. The facade of the castle is 156 meters wide. The height of the walls is 56 meters. The castle ensemble includes 800 sculptural associations. There are 426 rooms and as many as 77 staircases in the castle building.

Gothic style for Chambord is leading. The main plan of the castle is presented as a Gothic cross. This architectural technique characterizes many Italian churches. Chambord castle towers are oriented to the cardinal directions.

In appearance structures are slightly asymmetric. But around the central staircase, all proportions are observed very scrupulously. Five habitable levels have been erected in the central part.

Paintings and gilding have been preserved on the third floor of the castle. The park surrounding the castle was created for hunting, and not for leisurely walks. And today there are wild boars and deer.

When creating the park, Mediterranean sheep were brought into it. There are also several ponds in the park. The second floor of the main building is occupied by the Hunting Museum. There are hotels, restaurants nearby in the village, there is minimal infrastructure. IN amazing castle exhibitions are often held.

Chambord Castle, although located in France, could become architectural gem Italy, if it had been built there. It is permeated with the spirit of the Renaissance. It was created to perpetuate this direction in the most dignified way.

Chambord and its surroundings are considered an important historical monument, and are carefully protected by law. Reconstruction work was carried out several times in the castle, and then it was opened to the general public.

How to get to the castle?

By car to get to historical building You can take the A10 highway. Near the castle ensemble there is paid parking. And it costs 4 euros.

From Paris, the Blois stop can be reached in 1.5 hours. The ticket will cost approximately 11 euros. Next, you will need to transfer to the bus, which runs from May to August directly to the castle. The train schedule can be found at the station Austerlitz.

You can still get to the sights by taxi, but Chambord is far from the capital, so the price for the trip will not be small.

The castle museums are open every day except January 1st and December 25th. The castle is also closed to the public on the first Tuesday of February.

From May to October, the attraction is open from 9 am to 6 pm. And from November to March until 17 pm.

An adult ticket will cost approximately 11 euros. Children under the age of 18 with an escort are admitted free of charge.

The castle ensemble of Chambord has its own official website with up-to-date information. There you can familiarize yourself with the rules of visiting, and you can also find out about the planned exhibitions.