Located on the banks of the Loire River, the royal castle of Amboise is a fortress-like structure, representing the Gothic to Renaissance style, which played an important role in the history of France. Built in 1471, associated with famous owners and a vibrant period of French history, it was the residence of all the Valois and Bourbon kings, and also the scene of many important political, economic and artistic activities. Among its owners, King Francois I, famous for his love of Renaissance art, brought many Italian art features to this unusual castle when he invited Leonardo da Vinci to be a guest at Amboise Castle in 1516. The famous Italian artist lived here until his death in 1519.
Associated with the life and career of the famous painter da Vinci, Amboise Castle is not only a royal residence but also holds deep meanings in terms of art and architecture. Amboise is one of the cradles of the French Renaissance, but eventually fell into decline in the second half of the 16th century. This place was also destroyed in many parts during the French Revolution but was later restored and renovated in the 19th century and became a destination that attracts many art enthusiasts.
Surrounding the ancient castle are large gardens, filled with green, always in a certain harmony with nature, the air is cool and fresh. Built on the riverbank, the castle garden is decorated spontaneously, with many variations, exquisite details and open views, especially when the sun sets and the night falls. The garden is planted with rosemary, jasmine, laurel and cedar, making people unconsciously think of the scenery of the Mediterranean coast.
Inside the Amboise castle, many valuable artifacts of the royal family are still perfectly preserved and intact, from furniture to paintings that make visitors extremely excited. The decorative motifs of the castle are the clearest evidence of the Renaissance art movement. Under the hands of the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci, this work has become a true work of art.
Amboise Castle also has a beautiful view of the Loire River. It would be a pity if you did not stop for a while, standing on the castle, enjoying the cool breeze and admiring the wonderful scenery of Amboise and the beautiful, gentle Loire River.
Once here, don't forget to walk through the long corridors decorated with sharp axes, carefully forged swords and armor used in wartime... which are precious artifacts remaining as evidence of a heroic historical period. The corridors at Amboise Castle were built very wide and high to help knights on horseback pass through more easily and conveniently.
Once here, you should take some time to visit the artist's final resting place, located in the Saint-Hubert Chapel, a Gothic-style chapel built in 1493 right on the grounds of Amboise Castle. And of course, you cannot miss the Clos Lucé Castle - next to Amboise Castle, where da Vinci spent the last years of his life to be close to King Francois I and the French court.
Clos Lucé was rebuilt on the site of an ancient castle in 1471, around an octagonal tower. The exterior of Clos Lucé is elegant, solidly built, decorated with pink bricks and white travertine, reflecting typical 15th-century architecture. Clos Lucé is located in a 7-hectare area with parks, forests and rivers. The castle still contains the living rooms and daily amenities of da Vinci and the other owners, including a laboratory, study, reading room...
Since 1954, Clos Lucé and the entire grounds have been a museum dedicated to a period of Leonardo da Vinci's life and work. The museum has been carefully maintained by the last owners of the castle, the Saint-Bris family, who have collected documents, artifacts and displayed them. Since then, the castle has undergone several major renovations and is regularly maintained, becoming a popular tourist destination.
Some rooms were restored in 2011 with antique details and furnishings as they were during da Vinci's time there. What's special is that thanks to Pepper's ghost technology, visitors can see Leonardo da Vinci with replicas of famous paintings such asMona Lisa,The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptistwhich he brought with him when he went from Italy to France.
In particular, the basement is where the famous artist's studios, sculpture rooms and design rooms are located. It can be seen that da Vinci was also an inventor, he personally drew and designed many types of machines and accessories. In the laboratory, 40 models are displayed, reconstructed from sketches and drawings, and at the same time, vivid 3D images of his inventions are shown, very attractive to viewers to see how they work.
There are also drawings of the famous “double spiral staircase” built at the nearby Château de Chambord, models of bicycles, airplanes and many other devices, and even plans for a city and a canal to facilitate travel, as water transport was the main mode of transport at that time.
The large surrounding park has restaurants, cafes, and places for visitors to rest and stroll... The vegetation in the garden is the inspiration for Leonardo da Vinci's paintings and philosophical thoughts. In addition to its natural beauty, the park also retains many mechanical models invented by him. When walking in the park, you can also observe the works of this genius engineer. This place also regularly exhibits many of da Vinci's inventions using modern means in local community activities, thereby making the museum and the famous painter always proud and loved by local people, as well as the beautiful ancient castles and traditional winemaking of the Loire Valley. Thanks to the appreciation and good preservation of heritage, this region has welcomed millions of visitors every year, even when the castles are being restored, the number of visitors here has not decreased.
The Loire Valley is home to dozens of ancient castles, and Clos Lucé - the museum dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci - is just one of tens of thousands of museums, memorials to famous people and historical figures in France and many other European countries. But for art lovers, especially those who admire the genius painter, the royal castle of Amboise and the castle of Clos Lucé are always must-see destinations when coming to France.
More information
Address:
- Amboise Royal Castle: Montée de l'Emir Abd el Kader, 37400 Amboise
- Clos Lucé Castle: 2 Rue du Clos Lucé, 37400 Amboise
Trip:From Paris you can get here by bus or train. If you go by train, you start from Paris-Austerlitz station and stop at Amboise station. The train ride takes about 45 minutes. Alternatively, you can take the TGV high-speed train from Paris-Montparnasse to Touru, then change trains to Amboise castle. If you go by bus, you will have to take a bus to Blois or Tourus, then take a train to Amboise because there is currently no direct bus route to Amboise castle.
Visiting time:The castle is open every day of the week. In July and August, opening hours are from 9am to 9pm, while the other months it closes a little earlier.
Admission fee:For adults it is 11.5 EUR, students 9.9 EUR, children from 7-18 years old it is 7.7 EUR and children under 7 years old are free.
