#amboise

Best Dressed + Anne Boleyn

Château d'Amboise

The Château d'Amboise, located in the Loire Valley, in central France, was built over several centuries and was the centre of royal power during the Renaissance (from the 15th to the early 17th century). Witness to the heyday of the French monarchy, but also to great tragedies, the château welcomed such famous figures as Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Chevalier d'Artagnan (c. 1611-1673), and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500-1558), to name but a few. Its architecture evolved over the centuries and reflects its eventful history.

Architectural Highlights

Located on a rocky spur overlooking the town and the royal river, the Loire, the site of the Château d'Amboise covers an area of approximately two hectares. Inhabited since Neolithic times, it was transformed into a defensive structure in the 4th century, and the first fortress was built there in the 5th century. Today, only a few parts of the former palace remain, but visitors can still admire the beauty of the Chapel of Saint Hubert, completely restored from 2021 to 2024, the Minimes Tower and the Heurtault Tower, the royal lodge, and the superb gardens.

Chapel of Saint Hubert

The entrance ramp leads directly to the Chapel of Saint Hubert on the left. This flamboyant Gothic chapel with a golden spire was built under Charles VIII (reign 1483-1498) and served as a chapel for his wife, Queen Anne of Brittany (1477-1514). Built in tuffeau stone, typical of the Loire Valley, it houses some beautiful stained glass windows. It is in this chapel that Leonardo da Vinci is buried. According to the tradition reported by historian Giorgio Vasari, he passed away in the very arms of King Francis I (r. 1515-1547). In 1930, his tomb was rebuilt by Italian sculptor Francesco La Monaca (1882-1937), and the medallion, created by sculptor Jean Cardot, was added in the 2000s.

The Royal Lodge

The Renaissance wing was also built during the reign of Charles VIII. In order to offer his queen new buildings worthy of her love, the king had a large part of the castle courtyard cleared away, and the earth dumped at the foot of the promontory helped drain part of the surrounding marshes. To finance his architectural ambitions, Charles raised new taxes, which enabled him to build not only new lodgings but also most of the buildings we can see today. In fact, 75% of Charles' castle still remain to this day. Historian André Castelot gives a brief description of the interior:

Thanks to the king's accounts that have been kept, we know that the interior walls, decorated with French lilies and Breton ermines, disappeared under a truly astonishing profusion of tapestries, some of which – such as those depicting the life of Moses, the Romance of the Rose or Esther and Ahasuerus – were composed of fragments measuring a total of one hundred and fifty French ells, or more than 175 metres in length.

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The royal lodge now consists of three levels: the ground floor and first floor evoke the Renaissance period, and the second floor, which dates from the 19th century (the reign of Louis-Philippe I of France, 1830-1848). The tour will also take you through the guards' rooms, the guards' promenade with its balustrades overlooking the Loire, the great council chamber, the king's bedroom, and the Minimes Tower.

The Cavalier Towers

The Minimes Tower, overlooking the Loire, is a 21-metre-diameter building. It has a slightly sloping ramp that allowed horses and carts to access the terraces and gardens. Its counterpart, the Heurtault Tower, located to the north of the site, is 24 metre in diameter and also has a ramp to facilitate access to the castle from the town. With the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) finally over, the defence of the site was no longer considered a priority, and practical and aesthetic architecture ended up taking precedence.

The Gardens

The gardens cover just over two hectares and are now divided into two distinct parts. The well-defined Naples Terrace was designed by Italian artist Dom Pacello da Mercogliano (1453-1534) at the request of Charles VIII. The other section is a more contemporary English-style landscape garden, conceived by King Louis Philippe I in the 19th century. As you stroll along the paths of this park, you may come face to face with the Carrara marble bust by Henri de Vauréal, representing the man who bore witness to the heyday of this royal estate, the genius artist Leonardo da Vinci.

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Tumba de Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Castillo de Amboise, Valle del Loira, Francia.

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Tomba di Leonardo da Vinci ( 1452-1519 ) Castello di Amboise, Valle della Loira, Francia.

CRÉPUSCULE LIGÉRIEN.

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