Chateau dechambord is the grandest and largest of all the castles in the Loire Valley and has a history of more than five hundred years. The Loire Chambord is world-famous and scenic, and was formerly the residence of the kings of France.
1. Introduction
Chateau de chambord, the masterpiece of François I, represents his dedication to his dreams and his love of art and luxury: the huge white castle is intricately carved and surrounded by 365 fireplaces. The minaret and bell tower soar into the sky to show eternity.
The chateau de chambord, the largest castle in the Loire Valley, cannot fail to begin with the reign of Francois I (1515-1547). François I, who had ascended to the throne as a "hunter king", decided to build a new hunting castle, and then selected the hunting lodge in the forest of foret de boulogne that originally belonged to counts of blois, and after the hut was bulldozed in 1519, the great work in the history of the French Renaissance began.
François I had a unique view and taste for castle architecture. Growing up in Chateau d'amboise, France I studied Latin and Italian scholars and poets, as well as the medieval noble knight romance. It was the end of the 15th century, when an Italian wave was blowing in the Loire Valley, and the new renaissance style of life began to prevail, and although high society declined slightly at this time, the castle was still regarded as a symbol of imperial power. Towering chimneys, staircase towers, massive gabled windows, and pavilions at right angles can all be found in the 15th-century royal architecture of Chambord, which began construction only in the early 16th century.
The young François I believed that the castle should not only have a royal style, but also be able to arouse infinite illusions. After France I became king, in 1516 he asked Leonardo da Vinci to make plans for the reconstruction of the castle. Although this promise was not fulfilled, and leonardo da Vinci died in 1519, it is speculated that the innovative alternating rotating double staircase in the center of Chambord may have been conceived by Leonardo da Vinci. In addition to the rotating double staircase, another feature is the wide tower-top terrace. Before the castle was built, it had a military defense function, and it was rare for such a tall tower with different shapes, and the tower-top terrace of Chambord Castle became an excellent place for the king and the court nobles to watch the garden shooting competition.
Known as the "folie de grandeur" of François I, Chambord can be said to have been built according to the king's fantasy. A few years after the construction of Chambord began, France I thought it was necessary to create a vast hunting hinterland so that he could enjoy hunting safely. He explored the environment himself, prescribing the necessary conditions for the hunting hinterland: land, savannahs, wooded forests, vineyards, ponds and rivers, and he even personally supervised the construction of the hunting paddock of Chambord. Moreover, François I wanted to change the flow of the Loire river to the fort, but the task ended in impossible way, instead guiding the tributary of the closson into the castle courtyard.
2. Building structure
The chambord is more than 100 meters long and wide, and it is magnificent. In the middle is the square main fort flanked by four huge conical corner towers. At its center is the famous "double spiral staircase", two sets of independent stairs staggering around a common axis, spiraling upwards, while people going up and down the stairs can see each other without meeting. It is said that this was designed by the king to avoid embarrassment and disputes caused by the queen and his mistress when they met head-on, which is a must in the history of architecture. From this staircase, you can reach the castle terrace, which, in addition to the castle's circular spire, also has many beautifully carved small roofs, which are the chimneys of the heating stove. Before the construction of the castle, there was still a military defense function, but the roof terrace of the Champa Castle became a perfect place for the king and the court nobles to enjoy the garden scenery and competitive performances.
Surrounded by a large forest and facing a large garden, The Champa is surrounded by a large river, with green trees, flowers, sculptures and clear lake water, giving people a great visual enjoyment. Similar to the ancient royal gardens in China, the palace fort is a symbol of royal power, it is not for defense at the beginning, but for showing off and enjoying, it reflects the gorgeous and exaggerated royal garden style, which is the perfect combination of imperial power and art.
Not to be missed
The double spiral staircase is the most striking architectural element of the castle. What makes it special is that when two people use the stairs at the same time, although they can see each other, they will never meet.
The view from the terrace is also stunning. In addition to being able to look around the surrounding Chambor Park in 360 degrees, it also makes you feel like you are in a sky city of rooftops, chimneys and towers.
Collection: The castle houses more than 4,000 paintings, tapestries, furniture and works of art.
François I's residence: Located on the second floor of the royal wing, it consists of a bedroom, several attached private cubicles and a prayer room with a beautifully carved dome.
Third, the main attractions
Chambord Has Two Major Attractions: The first is the interior, which has a total of 440 rooms and 84 stairs, from the main entrance to the main castle, immediately in a bright and spacious marble palace, facing the famous "double spiral staircase", two sets of independent stairs interlaced around a common axis, spiraling upwards, while people going up and down the stairs can see each other without meeting. It is said that this was designed by the king to avoid embarrassment and disputes caused by the queen and his mistress when they met head-on, which is a must in the history of architecture.
The double spiral staircase is located in the middle of the castle, from the first floor to the roof, the details of the staircase flash in the Renaissance style, the staircase is directly above the silhouette of the top tower, and the sharply inclined roof and the tall chimney are interdependent, becoming a major feature of the so-called François I style French Renaissance.
Another great thing about Chambord is its shape. In addition to the circular spire of the castle, there are also many beautifully carved small roofs, which are the chimneys of the heating stove. From a distance, the whole castle looks like a large cake filled with candles, as beautiful as a fairy tale.