Chambord. King Francis I. built this palace in the middle of the estate populated by stags and wild boar in the beginning of the 16th century (1519). The palace is an architectural masterpiece combining the tradition of French master masons with the lightness of Italian Renaissance buildings. The major feature of the palace is double-return stairs (Leonardo da Vinci) and numerous chimneys, turrets and dormer windows. The palace was completed by Louis XIV in 1685. The palace is one of the most popular destinations of the palaces along the Loire River nowadays.
The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2000.
author: Boštjan Burger