!!!Chateaux of the Loire Valley 2

by Stas Sedov and
Dmitry Moiseenko,
members of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography Consortium|Geography/About/Consortium]. \\

7 June 2016

with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]

We continue our journey along the Loire Valley. The castles of this
region are created in different architectural styles and have different
histories, but all of them are truly majestic and significant landmarks
of France.

Several castles have a relation to the famous Italian artist Leonardo da
Vinci. One of them is Château de Chambord, located 6 kilometres away
from the left bank of the Loire river and 14 kilometres to the east of
Blois. The construction was carried out between 1519 and 1547, according
to the order of Francis I, who wanted to live closer to his beloved lady
— Duchess de Thoury. This masterpiece of French Renaissance architecture
is one of the most recognizable castles in the country. The name of the
architect is not precisely known, but historians have certain
suggestions that Leonardo may have taken part in the projecting the
castle as at that time he lived and worked at the court of King Francis
I.

[{Image src='01_Chateau de Chambord.jpg' caption='Château de Chambord' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='513'}]

The facade of the building is 156 meters long and 117 meters wide. The
plan is arranged around central part of the castle which is called
"donjon"; it was not meant to deal with attacks though, but still it was
created according to the model of a typical medieval fortified castle.
Inside the donjon there are 5 living floors connected by 77 staircases,
426 rooms with 282 fireplaces, and 800 sculptured columns decorating the
exterior of the castle.

[{Image src='02_Chateau de Chambord.jpg' caption='Château de Chambord' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='591'}]

An open double spiral staircase in the central part of the castle is a
rather typical feature of Leonardo da Vinci's style. It has two stairs
that spirally turn in one direction without meeting each other. Thus
descending people can never come in sight with those who go upstairs,
and vice versa. This monumental staircase decorated with carvings leads
to the upper terrace is also created in Leonardo's style.

[{Image src='03_Chateau de Chambord.jpg' caption='Château de Chambord' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='829'}]

But the Genius of the Renaissance did not live to see it fulfilled: he
had passed away several months before the construction of the castle
began and was buried in the Château d'Amboise.

In the Middle Ages the mighty family of Amboise owned a fortress and a
town, elevating 81 meters above the river and making it possible to
control the spur above the Loire. In the 15th century the Château
d'Amboise belonged to Duchess Louise of Savoy. Her son, King Francis I,
was raised here and spent a lot of time in this castle. As a court
architect, Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked in the nearby Clos Lucé,
connected to the castle by an underground passage. Clos Lucé is the
place where he finished his famous painting of Mona Lisa, and this is
where he died in 1519. But the tomb of da Vinci is situated in the
chapel of Saint-Hubert, in Amboise.

[{Image src='04_Chateau d_Amboise.jpg' caption='Château d_Amboise' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='557'}]

During the French Revolution, the significant part of the castle was
demolished. In order to stop the process of devastation, in 1872 the
Third Republic entrusted the remnants of the castle to the House of
Orléans. Nowadays the Château d'Amboise, being significantly rebuilt in
comparison to the initial project, is under the protection of the
Foundation Saint-Louis headed by the Comte de Paris.

The name of King Francis I is connected, though indirectly, to one more
castle — the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau. The construction began in 1510
above a picturesque curve of the Indre river. It occupies the site of a
former feudal castle: in the 12th century it was built by the local
seigneur Ridel d'Azay. He was notorious for his cruel nature and gained
the name "the Devil's child". In the 15th century that castle, being the
property of Duke of Burgundy at that time, fell victim of a battle and
was burnt to the ground. And nothing was left even of the village
located nearby. Later, a new town appeared here and got the name of
Azay-le-Brûlé (literally "the Burnt").

[{Image src='05_Chateau d_Azay-le-Rideau.jpg' caption='Château d_Azay-le-Rideau' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='557'}]

Gilles Berthelot, the local banker and Treasurer-General of the King
Francis I finances, received these lands by the right of succession, and
between 1510 and 1528 he had the castle built for his wife Philippa.
There is a legend that the future castle appeared in her dreams, and
exquisite towers and an elegant staircase were created according to her
taste. Nowadays the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau is slightly reconstructed,
comparing to its initial project, and now it is a good example of both
Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

One more outstanding castle among the Châteaux of the Loire Valley is
the Château de Valençay: geographically, it belongs to the Indre
département, which is not actually the part of the Loire Valley. But its
architecture and time of creation invites comparison with other castles
of the Loire Valley, namely the Château de Chambord (and you can make
sure of it with the help of our virtual tour).

[{Image src='06_Chateau de Valencay.jpg' caption='Château de Valençay' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='557'}]

One of the most well-off families of the 16th century — financiers
d'Estampes — came to a great idea and fulfilled it: on the site of the
demolished 12th century fortress they decided to build a Chambord-like
royal castle. Although the construction began in 1540 and was completed
only two centuries later. All the elements of the castle are
well-balanced.

In 1803 a new rather famous owner came to the Valençay — Charles Maurice
de Talleyrand, who worked as a foreign minister at the court of Napoleon
Bonaparte. He turned his property into the centre of high-society life,
and that was when a theatre appeared here.

[{Image src='07_Chateau de Valencay.jpg' caption='Château de Valençay' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='557'}]

In the beginning of the 20th century a park was made here; and during
the Second World War the Talleyrands safely sheltered in the castle such
treasures of the Louvre as the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the
Venus de Milo.

In 1979 the castle came to an association of historic chateaux of
France. It is a genuine example of Renaissance architecture and French
(Mansart) classicism. To provide interest of tourists the museum of the
old autos was opened and some exotic animal, such as llamas and
peacocks, are kept in the park.

Our next virtual tour along the Loire Valley will get us acquainted with
Richard the Lionheart, a secret royal wedding and intrigues of the
French throne.

\\ \\
[13 Panoramas of Chateaux of the Loire Valley 2|Geography/Europe/France/Pictures/Panoramas_of_Chateaux_of_the_Loire_Valley_2]










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