Château de Chambord

The Chateau de Chambord is one of the most recognizable castles in the world due to its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classic Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was built by King Francis I of France.

Chambord is the largest castle in the Loire Valley; it was built to serve as a hunting lodge for François I, who maintained his royal residences at the Château de Blois and Amboise. The original design of the Chateau de Chambord is attributed, although with some doubts, to Domenico da Cortona; Leonardo da Vinci may also have been involved.

Chambord was considerably altered during the twenty-eight years of its construction (1519-1547), during which it was supervised on site by Pierre Nepveu. With the castle nearing completion, François showed his enormous symbol of wealth and power by welcoming his former rival, Emperor Charles V, to Chambord.

In 1792, following the French Revolution, part of the furniture was sold and the wood was removed. For a while the building was left derelict, although in the 19th century attempts at restoration were made. During World War II, works of art from the Louvre and Château de Compiègne collections were transferred to Château de Chambord. The castle is now open to the public, welcoming 700,000 visitors in 2007. The floods of June 2016 damaged the park but not the castle itself.