Top 10 Facts about the Chateau de Chambord

By Manfred Heyde – Wikimedia

Top 10 Facts about the Chateau de Chambord

There are just so many adjectives to describe this Palace that I could not list them all. This imposing Palace is massive and extravagant.

It is the largest Palace in Loire Valley commissioned by King Francis I and is full of pleasant surprises.

The French Renaissance architecture of the Castle has been remarkably blended with classical Renaissance structures.

This castle was never completed but has a lot to be explored within its domain.

The castle is a symbol of power by a zealous King that adored the arts. Millions of local and international tourists visit the castle to marvel at its splendour.

Let us now look at the top 10 facts about this Chateau.

1. It is the largest Chateau in Loire Valley

By Michal Osmenda – Wikimedia

This is the largest château in Loire Valley. There are more than 300 chateaux in Loire Valley.

It was used as a hunting lodge for King Francis I. He had his royal residences at the Château de Blois and Amboise.

The designer of this Chateau is an Italian Architect known as Domenico da Cortona; it is believed that he worked closely with Leonardo da Vinci.

The other popular castles are Chateau d’Amboise that was used by the French Monarchy and Château de Montsoreau, a Renaissance castle directly built in the Loire riverbed.

There are 11 different towers and 3 types of chimneys on the castle. It is surrounded by 13,000 acres of a forested park.

2. The Chateau boasts of the largest double helix staircase

By Hélène Rival – Wikimedia

The pride and joy of the chateau de Chambord is the double helix staircase made up of 274 steps. They both ascend to the third floor and do not connect.

This staircase was designed by Leonardo da Vinci. It made sure that the king never met with the servants on the stairs.

The stairs are illuminated by a light set on the highest point of the castle, another brilliant idea from Leonardo da Vinci.

There are four entries to the staircases that cross each other but people ascending or descending the stairs would not meet.

3. Its design was altered then Chateau was abandoned

Chambord’s design was altered significantly during the many years of its construction between 1519 to 1547.

The redesigning of the Chateau was done by Pierre Nepveu. King Francis, I was so proud of the progress that he hosted Emperor Charles V at the castle.

Unfortunately, in 1792, some of the castle furnishings were sold and most of the timber was removed during the French Revolution.

After this, the Castle was abandoned since the King had an official residence in a different Castle.

It was until the 19^th century that some restoration work was done to restore its former glory.

The Chateau was used to store precious art collection from the Louvre and Chateau de Compiegne during WWII.

4. Chateau de Chambord is the embodiment of French architecture

By Tango7174 – Wikimedia

This château is one of the most prominent structures displaying the distinct French Renaissance architectural style.

It blends well the medieval elements with the prominent classical Renaissance style.

It is believed that the main architect of this castle was Domenico da Cortana an Italian who greatly influenced the design.

A wooden model of the castle that was destroyed in the 17^th century was drawn by Andre Felibien and made by da Cortana.

During the 16^th century, Chateaux had extensive gardens and water features, such as a moat just like Chambord.

The castle interiors borrowed both Italian and French styles where the rooms were self-contained.

5. This castle was not built as a fortress

The château was built as a hunting lodge for King Francis I. It was therefore not meant to provide any form of defence from enemies.

The walls, towers and the moat, which was used for defence purposes during that period were all for decorative purposes.

Its open windows and wide outdoors were not designed for the damp and cold weather of Northern France.

This castle was more of a vacation home for the King hence its roofscape that many compared to the spires of a town skyline.

It was common to find Chateaux in the 16^th century without defensive features which were common in castle architecture.

6. The roofline of the Chateau is quite elaborate

By Manfred Heyde – Wikimedia

According to Henry James, a famous writer, he compared the roof of the castle to that of a city with tall spires.

King Francis wanted the roof of this Chateau to resemble that of Constantinople skyline.

The roof is elaborate with several towers, lanterns, and chimneys. Its northwestern façade was renovated and two wings were added to the chateau.

7. There are over 400 rooms in Chateau de Chambord

The château has 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases. There are also four rectangular vaulted hallways on each floor that form the shape of a cross.

Only 80 rooms are open to the public. The castle is surrounded by woodlands that are home to the red deer.

8. François I only spend 72 days in his château!

Since this was a hunting lodge for the King and his staff, King Francis I did not spend so much time here.

During his reign, the chateau was largely vacant and was occupied when the King was there for the hunting season.

It was right in the middle of a forest that had red deer. No other building of the village was close to the Castle.

The Castle was not fully furnished and furniture was brought only when the King was visiting.

Another reason why the King never stayed here for long was that the rooms were massive and had a high ceiling. This made it hard for the staff to heat the rooms.

9. There is a dispute on who the original designer of the Chateau is

By Arnaud Scherer – Wikimedia

For the longest time, the real designer of Chateau de Chambord has remained to be controversial.

The one designer that many acknowledge is Domenico da Cortana from Italy.

His wooden model of the castle that survived until the 17^th century was drawn by Andre Felibien.

Andre’s drawing showed that there were alterations to the original design.

The staircases were straight and were separated by a passage. This was replaced with the centrally located spiral staircase, a design attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.

10. Chateau de Chambord is a trendsetter

Schwerin Palace in Germany By WorldKnowledge0815 – Wikimedia

The Château de Chambord has set the trend when it comes to architecture across Europe.

Its decorative features have been emulated by Schwerin Palace in Germany, that was first built in 1845 then reconstructed in 1857.

Buildings with similar designs can be found in the United Kingdom such as the Founder’s Building at Royal Holloway, University of London. This was designed by William Henry Crossland.

Another one designed by David Bryce in 1870 is the main building in Fettes College in Edinburgh.