The Château de Chambord is a French castle located in the town of Chambord, the department of Loir-et-Cher and the Center region. Measuring 156 m by 117 m, with 426 rooms, 77 staircases, 282 chimneys and 800 sculpted capitals, it is the largest of the Loire castles and constitutes one of the architectural masterpieces of the Renaissance, dating from the reign of François Ier in the XVIth century.
The mystery of the architect
Several architects worked on the construction of the castle but we do not know the true thinker of this monument. Analyzes have shown the influence of Leonardo da Vinci, who then worked as an architect of the court of François I, but who died a few months with the start of construction in 1519. This is followed by permanent modifications to the château, depending on the times and the successors to the estate.
The successors of the castle
Chambord Castle has seen around twenty owners before arriving at its current structure.
First of all François Ier, who started the works in 1519, because he wanted to give to the world (and especially to his enemy of the time: Charles Quint) the spectacular testimony of his two passions: hunting and architecture.
His immediate successors almost never came to Chambord. Henry II still continued construction with the construction of the chapel wing while Charles IX and François II only came to hunt on rare occasions. It was only in the time of Louis XIII and Gaston of Orleans that work resumed with transformations and the installation of their apartments in the royal wing.
The construction of the castle was only really completed with Louis XIV who particularly liked this prestigious place to the point of making eight stays there.
From the 18th century, the castle was transformed into a prestigious royal “gift” whose furnishings changed over the occupants, passing by Stanislas Leszczynski, father-in-law of Louis XV, who wished to find a refuge following the exile of his country ; by Maurice de Saxe, marshal who became governor thanks to Louis XV; by the count of Friesen, nephew of Maurice of Saxony; by the Marquis de Polignac; by Marshal Berthier; Duke of Bordeaux, grandson of King Charles X became owner of this castle when he was not yet a year old in 1820. Since 1932, the Château de Chambord has become the property of the friendly State and continues to restore it.
The architecture of the castle
The plan of the castle rests on a central body perfectly square in Greek crosses, like that of the Saint Peter's basilica of Rome, named Donjon because this castle is built on the model of the strong castles of the Middle Ages, with the particularity of the diagonals of keep sounds along the north-south and east-west axes; its turns marking exactly the four cardinal points.
The double-revolution staircase (or double screw) placed in the center of the castle and in the center of the keep is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci who had originally imagined designing a quadruple. It is therefore a matter of two staircases following a double helix scheme, leading to the large terrace which goes around the keep.
In this dungeon there are also 5 habitable levels with 4 square apartments and 4 apartments in the round towers per level. Between the apartments, 4 corridors lead to the double-revolution staircase in the center.
Sources
Credit : Quy Thanh pour Carnets Paris Descartes
Photo : Les-Jardins-a-la-francaise---Chambord---Leonard-de-Serres.jpg
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