Château de Chambord

The largest château of the Loire Valley, in Chambord, Loir-et-Cher. Built for King Francis I as a hunting lodge between 1519 and 1547, it is famous for its distinctive French Renaissance architecture.

The Château de Chambord stands in a forest about 17 km from Blois and is the largest of the châteaux of the Loire Valley. King Francis I commissioned it as a hunting lodge, and it was built between 1519 and 1547. The original design is attributed to the Tuscan architect Domenico da Cortona, and Leonardo da Vinci may also have influenced it.

Its silhouette blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures, making it one of the most recognisable châteaux in the world. The surrounding park, about 50 km² enclosed by a 32 km wall, is the largest walled forest park in Europe. Chambord was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1981 and has been part of the Loire Valley World Heritage Site since 2000.