Château de Chambord

The history

The largest château in the Loire — a 440-room Renaissance fantasy begun by François I in 1519, with a famous double-helix staircase attributed to Leonardo da Vinci and a roofline like a small city of towers.

In brief

The Château de Chambord in Chambord, Centre-Val de Loire, France, is one of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture, which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building was commissioned by Francis I of France and built between 1519 and 1547.

Then & now

My photos

‹›❚❚ Pause

1 / 28

Where it is