Castle of Chambord

Structure

Chambord is without question one of the castles to the most recognizable silhouette, and constitutes one of the architectural masterpieces of the Renaissance: 156 m of frontage, 440 parts, 84 staircases, 365 chimneys and 800 carved capitals.

The name of the architect is unknown for us, but analyzes show the influence of Léonard de Vinci, which then worked as architect of the court of François I {{er}}, but which died a few months before the beginning of the building site, like that of Domenico da Cortona.

Construction begins in 1519. The building site of Chambord was one of the most important building sites of the Rebirth. It is told that 1700/1800 workmen worked there. It been necessary approximately: 220000 tons of stones. The life was hard there, more especially as the castle was built on marshes, much of workmen died of the fever. The carpenters inserted piles of oak up to 12 meters of depth, in order to establish the foundations of the castle on a solid pile with the top of water. Preventive excavations carried out in 2007 nevertheless revealed that the south-western tower is pressed on a calcareous riprap, they also put at the day a circular structure out of hardcores, vestiges probable of a tower of the medieval castle which rose there before the construction of the current castle.

Carriages arrive of the port of Saint-Dyé to discharge all materials and in particular the stone from Tuffeau used for construction, it is a white, tender and friable stone. The stone masons, like the other workmen, do not have fixed wages and are paid " with the tâche" : they are drudges. On each stone which they cut, they engrave their mark discreetly. This signature makes it possible to the treasurer to evaluate their work and to pay them; one finds it on certain stones not having been graffitiées thereafter at the time of the opening of the castle to the public.

The plan of the castle rests on a central body, called the keep because even if it forever have any vocation with defense, the castle of Chambord is built on the model of the strong castles of the Middle Ages. Inside the keep, one finds 5 levels livable. There are 4 square apartments and 4 round apartments per level. Between the apartments, four corridors, coming from the " four parts of the monde" lead to the staircase with double revolution in the center. The king François I {{er}}, in the second time, extends the castle of a quadrilateral and installs his apartments (vaster) in the Eastern wing. A vault is built in the Western wing and is completed by Jean Humble the under the reign of François Ier. It is said that François I and his friend Jean the humble one wanted to also divert the Loire and to make it pass in front of the castle, but the project was abandoned.

The Escalier with double helix placed at the center of the building reveals in particular the style of Léonard de Vinci. As its name indicates it, it comprises two staircases, turning in the same direction and crossing at any time. It gives access the large terrace, it so inspired, of an idea of Léonard, and who offers a sight on the chimneys and capitals of the roof by making the turn of the keep (which is in fact the highest part of the castle and not the prison). This staircase is surmounted by a tower quite recognizable lantern of outside.

The second stage is also remarkable by its vaults with boxes representing the royal symbols (monogram F crowned and salamander), accompanied by a tied cord, emblem of his/her mother, Louise of Savoy. Certain monograms of the staircase with height of the terraces are traced with back so that God top of the sky sees the power of the King !

Arrived on the terrace, the visitor can notice that the staircase is surmounted by a tower known as " the Lanterne" Tower; , it rises with 32 meters and surmounts all the chimneys of Chambord. Its top, instead of being capped of a cross, is capped with a flower of Lys (symbol of the royalty), as if the King were with the top of God.

History

The wooded vast domain of Chambord was bought in 1392 with the counts of Blois by the family of Orleans. When the duke of Orleans becomes king de France in 1498 under the name of Louis XII, the field of Chambord becomes property of the Crown.

In 1516, François Ier returns from Italy with Léonard de Vinci and the desire to construct a large building in the style of the Italian Renaissance. In 1519, the site of Chambord is selected to open the building site of a residence of hunting on the site of an old strong castle. Starting from 1526, 1 800 workmen work with the construction of the castle. It is completed after multiple enlargings in 1547, with died of the king, by the wing of the royal apartments. François Ier finally passed very little from time to Chambord, for some shooting parties and to show his power with his rival, Charles Quint.

The kings of France forsake the castle after the death of François Ier, and it is degraded little by little.

In 1639, Louis XIII gives it to his/her brother Gaston of Orleans. Louis XIV again makes undertake transformations into 1684, to make cover the vault, and to connect the four apartments of the northern hall of the first stage in row to make of it its home, interior architecture which one will find the structure with the Château of Versailles. Molière gave to it its first representation of the Bourgeois gentleman on October 14th 1670.

Of 1725 with 1733 the castle was occupied by Stanislas Leszczyński, détrôné king of Poland and father-in-law of Louis XV. Of 1745 with 1750, it is used as barracks with the regiment of Maurice of Saxony. In 1792 the revolutionary government makes sell furniture. Napoleon Bonaparte gives the castle to the marshal Berthier. In 1821, the field is repurchased with its widow thanks to a national subscription, which offers it to the young person Henri d' Artois, duke of Bordeaux, born the previous year. After the revolution of 1830, this one will take, in exile, the Titer of courtesy of “count de Chambord”. Before that, Charles X will have briefly occupied it and the fact of restoring summarily. During the Franco-German Guerre of 1870 it is used like hospital as countryside. The count de Chambord will reside very briefly in 1871, and will launch since Chambord a proclamation at it to the French, calling with the restoration of monarchy and the white flag. After 1883 the castle belongs to the former reigning family of the Duché of Parma, the duke Robert of Parma it having inherited his/her maternal uncle, the count de Chambord.

The field, repurchased eleven million gold franc to Élie de Bourbon, is the state-owned property since 1930 which manages it by the means of the Association of the friends of Chambord. In 1945 a fire destroys part of the roof of the south-eastern keep. In 1947 begins a great handing-over on level of what became a major attraction tourist with in particular spectacles Its and lights .

Since 1981, classified with the world heritage of UNESCO

Since 2005 it is a EPIC (Industrial and Commercial Public corporation)

In 2007, 17.300 SUF gathered in the park of the castle during three days in order to celebrate there the 100 years of the creation of the Scoutisme by Lord Baden Powell.

Park

A field of 5 441 ha, including 1000 ha open to all, girdled of a wall of 32 km (equivalent with the peripheral of Paris), is the largest closed forest park of Europe. The stag and the wild boar are the emblematic species but one finds there also more than 100 species of birds.

Other curiosities

On the second floor is located the Musée of hunting and nature;
the village of Chambord comprises some houses with tourist vocation and is also the state-owned property in its entirety.

Cinema

The castle of Chambord was used as decoration with the turning of the film Peau of Ass of Jacques Demy in 1970.

Photographs

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