Château d'Amboise, Medieval castle in Loire Valley, France
The Château d'Amboise is a royal residence built on a limestone promontory above the Loire River in the center of the town of Amboise. The complex includes several residential towers with Gothic windows, a late-Gothic chapel, and two spiral ramps that allowed riders and carriages to reach the upper floors directly.
Charles VIII began transforming the medieval stronghold into a royal residence in the new Italian style starting in 1492, bringing craftsmen from Naples. His successor Louis XII continued the work, but the castle gradually lost its importance as a main seat after the 16th century.
The castle experienced its most refined period under Francis I, who cultivated a court inspired by Italian models and attracted artists from across Europe. The Saint-Hubert chapel serves as the final resting place for the celebrated painter and inventor who accepted the king's invitation and spent his last three years nearby.
The site sits in the center of the town of Amboise and can be reached on foot from the Loire riverbank. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes because many paths run over cobblestones and stone steps, and there are several staircases to climb between levels.
The two spiral towers with their gently sloping ramps were designed so horses and carriages could ride comfortably upward without the animals having to dismount. From the rampart walk, you can see landscapes across four departments on clear days, which shows the strategic position of the fortress.
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