The construction of the Chambord castle began in 1519, under Francis I. In 1981, this castle was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Chambord Castle is one of the unique buildings left to us by the Renaissance. Its architecture is a combination of traditional French medieval features and elements borrowed from the Italian Renaissance.
The massive keep with four towers and ramparts are reminiscent of medieval fortresses, as do the walls, moats and Gothic chimneys on the roof. But the central chateau premises, the arrangement of double spiral staircases, the geometric lightness of the facades and decoration, the symmetry of the buildings and the vaulted ceilings on the second floor were innovative for their time and marked the beginning of the French Renaissance.
Chambord, the largest castle in the Loire Valley, served as its owner as a hunting residence, as well as a symbol of wealth and power.
Some art historians claim that Leonardo da Vinci himself participated in the creation of the initial plan for the chateau. This is indirectly indicated by the design of spiral staircases, ventilation systems and other engineering solutions.
Having absorbed the best of two cultures and eras, Chambord has been praising its creators for five centuries - architects, builders and the Knight King Francis I, the heir to French traditions, who, unlike most monarchs, really understood art and, conceiving a castle, inspired by the works of the greatest artists of his time.
