Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
four corners. This castle, built while the pope was erecting a new St. Peter's Basilica, is
like a secular rival to the Vatican.
Construction started the year Leonardo died, 1519. The architect is unknown, but
an eerie Leonardo-esque spirit resides here. The symmetry, balance, and classical propor-
tionscombinetoreflectaharmoniousRenaissancevisionthatcouldhavebeeninspiredby
Leonardo's notebooks.
Typical of royal châteaux, this palace of François I was rarely used. Because any ef-
fective king had to be on the road to exercise his power, royal palaces sat empty most of
thetime.Inthe1600s,LouisXIVrenovatedChambord,buthevisiteditonlysixtimes(for
about two weeks each visit).
Self-Guided Tour:
This tour covers the highlights, floor by floor.
Ground Floor:
This stark level shows off the general plan—four wings, small doors
to help heated rooms stay warm, and a massive staircase. In a room just inside the front
door, on the left, you can watch a worthwhile 18-minute video.
Theattention-grabbing
double-helix staircase
dominatestheopenvestibulesandin-
vites visitors to climb up. Its two spirals are interwoven, so people can climb up and down
and never meet. Find the helpful explanation of the staircase posted on the wall. From the
staircase,enjoyfineviewsofthevestibuleaction,orjustmarvelattheplayfulRenaissance
capitals carved into its light tuff stone.
First Floor:
Here you'll find the most interesting rooms. Starting opposite a big
ceramic stove, tour this floor basically clockwise. You'll enter the lavish apartments in the
king's wing
and pass through the grand bedrooms of Louis XIV, his wife Maria Theresa,
and, at the far end, François I (follow
Logis de François 1er
signs). Notice how the fur-
niture in François' bedroom was designed so it could be easily disassembled and moved
with him.
A highlight of the first floor is the fascinating seven-room
Museum of the Count
of Chambord
(Musée du Comte de Chambord). The last of the French Bourbons, Henri
d'Artois(a.k.a.thecountofChambord)wasnextinlinetobekingwhenFrancedecidedit
didn't need one. He was raring to rule—you'll see his coronation outfits and even souven-
irs from the coronation that never happened. Check out his boyhood collection of little
guns and other weapons. The man who believed he should have become King Henry V
lived in exile from the age of 10. Although he opened the palace to the public, he actually
visited this château only once, in 1871.
The
chapel
tucked off in a side wing is interesting only for how unimpressive and
remotelylocateditis.It'sdwarfedbythemassofthisimposingchâteau—clearlydesigned
to trumpet the glories not of God, but of the king of France.
