Amazing Chambord Castle: A Short History
Chambord castle, a monument to the Loire Valley kings
When Francois I ascended to the French throne in 1515 he immediately set out to reconquer the Italian province of Milan. The city, once in French hands, was lost by his predecessor Louis XII. The ambitious young King found military success easily in northern Italy. Upon his return to France he began to build the chateau. The design of the castle was directly influenced by the Renaissance architecture he had seen in Italy.
The castle still resembles a medieval stronghold (a central keep flanked by four large towers, two wings, a curtain wall enclosing it all), but, many Italian ideas are incorporated into chateau’s design such as loggias, an ornate terrace, pilasters and horizontal moldings decorating the facades.
King Francois I was just 25 years old in 1519 when he initiated the huge enterprise of building the chateau of Chambord.
Book a one day trip from Paris to the Loire Valley to visit Chambord castle with us.
Chambord castle was originally intended to serve as a hunting lodge. In reality it is an extravagant chateau over 156 meters long and 56 meters tall with 77 staircases, 282 fireplaces and 426 rooms.
The castle was built primarily using a local Loire limestone, so-called tuffeau. Tuffeau is a beautiful golden soft stone and easy to work with, but also easily crumbles. The castle’s stones are thus in a perpetual state of being replaced and shored up, but you can’t get that gorgeous light color without them.
Francois I reigned for 32 years, during which he spent only 72 days in total at Chambord castle; when he died in 1547 only the keep and the royal wing had been finished. It was his son, Henry II, and later Louis XlV (both likewise very fond of hunting), who were responsible for making the chateau look the way it stands today.
Chambord Castle’s Famous Figures and Intermittent Residents
- Francois I (1494-1547) King of France, ordered the grand chateau to be built.
- Caston d’Orleans (1608-1660) Louis XIII’s brother, stayed at the chateau and at nearby Blois from 1634 to 1643 and 1652 to 1660.
- Louis XIV (1638-1715) King of France, stayed at the chateau nine times between 1660 and 1685.
- Stanislaus Leszczynski (1677-1766) exiled King of Poland and Louis XV’s fatherin-law, lived here from 1725 to 1733-.
- The Marechal de Saxe (1696-1750) was given the estate by Louis XV and for two years threw sumptuous parties here.
- The Duke de Bordeaux (1820-1883) Charles X’s grandson, received the chateau by public subscription in 1821. The French government bought the chateau from the Duke’s heirs in 1930
- The Rolling Stones iconic lips logo appeared on the lawn of the castle in 2008.
What kind of liquor is Chambord?
Chambord is a sweet liquor made in the Loire Valley. It is made primarily of XO Cognac, raspberries, blackberries and blackcurrants. Learn more at the official Chambord Liqueur website.
Visit the official website of chateau Chambord for more historical information.