The Chambord castle is one of the largest castles in the Loire Valley. The castle had such an unusual appearance it was rumored that its true architect was Leonardo da Vinci who lived at the court of the young Francis I.
The construction of the Château de Chambord began in 1519, 4 months after the death of Leonardo da Vinci. He was buried in this castle. The roof of the castle with its numerous towers resembles a city of ideal geometric beauty Leonardo da Vinci dreamed of. The main staircase, with two parallel spiral flights, is at least as interesting. It was also built by the sketches of the great Italian.
The castle had been built for 28 years. It was finished after the death of Francis I in 1547. The castle architecture is a mix of Gothic and Renaissance. Four towers on the front side of the castle have decorative features. Hundreds of lions, dragons, sirens, satyrs and other fantastic creatures are depicted on the walls and towers.
The castle has always been royal, but the kings have almost never lived there. For example, Francis I, who built the castle, for the entire period of his rule had never stayed there for more than 40 days. Nevertheless, for centuries the castle remained one of the symbols of the French monarchy.
