Chateau d'Amboise Loire Valley, France

The castle at Amboise was a favorite home for a period of time for the Kings of France. We travel to the Chateau d'Amboise to explore some of its rich history and walk through the grounds.

Founded
Gauls built a fortress
Romans later replaced the fortress with a fortified camp
In the 11th century the Count of Anjou built a fortress
In 1422 Charles VII seized it from it’s previous owner who was convicted of plotting against the crown and his son began to rebuild, which would become the place where many future kings would be born, live, and die.
In the 1490’s Charles VIII, who both was born and died in Amboise, discovered the Italian Renaissance. He commissioned alterations and improvements to the castle, as well as the landscaping of the gardens.
Francis I & Da Vinci
The castle reached the peak of it’s glory during the reign of Francis I who had a passion for
Italian art.
Francis I invited Leonardo Da Vinci to be his first painter, architect, and engineer. Leonardo Da Vinci arrived in 1516 and lived in the nearby Chateau du Clos Luce.
Leonardo Da Vinci died in 1519 and his remains are buried on the grounds of the castle in the small chapel by the castle.

Gardens & Castle Remains
As I mentioned earlier, Charles VIII had made improvements to the gardens. He brought Pacello da Mercogliano to Amboise to design the gardens. Amboise was the first to have it’s gardens in the style of the Gardens of the French Renaissance.
What you see now of the castle are just a portion of what it was at the peak of it’s glory. The remains of the castle have been restored.

Music: Prelude C Major (Bach) Alternative Version
Artist: Ian Post