Amboise Castle, France: description, interesting facts, reviews and excursions. Amboise Castle, France: description, interesting facts, reviews and excursions Castle Amboise Palace in France architecture

The small French town of Amboise is located in the Indre-et-Loire department in the central part of the country, with a population of about thirteen thousand people.

From the history of the city

The settlement was first mentioned in historical chronicles from the time of the Frankish king Clovis I, who negotiated in 504 with Alaric I (Visigothic ruler) on the island. From the 9th century, a small locality at the ford came into the possession of the Amboise family. Representatives of the clan fortified this place by erecting a donjon here - a central tower with internal chambers.

In the second half of the 15th century, the town became the property of King Charles VIII, who was born in these places. Under him, Amboise Castle turned into a real architectural masterpiece.

The city's attractions

The town of Amboise is famous not only for its royal castle. Next door to the main attraction of the city is medieval castle Clos-Lucé, famous for what the great Leonardo da Vinci did here. Now there is a museum of the world famous Italian. In addition, the seven-tier pagoda of Chantelou (XVIII century) of the Duke of Choiseul, built on the shore of an artificial semicircular reservoir, the late Gothic gate with a carillon and the town hall (XVI century) are of interest to tourists. The city hall of Abuaz houses historical exhibits, for example, the pistol used to wound Pushkin in a duel.

Amboise Castle: history

The majestic white-stone castle was built in the 16th century. It played the role of a defensive fortress. Its owners (the Amboise family) lost the castle after being accused of betraying the king. Amboise Castle first passed into the state treasury, and later Charles VIII made it a royal residence. At the same time, its restructuring began. A chapel was built, decorated with patterns reminiscent of stone lace, a wing of Charles VIII appeared, and two towers were built - the Franciscans and the Gyurto. A luxurious park was laid out near the castle. The garden with fountains and luxurious floral parterres was created by the talented gardener Mercogliano.

The young king was a fan of Italian culture. To complete the work, he invited Italian architects Domenico and Giocondo da Cortona. They were the first to bring Renaissance culture to France. It must be admitted that Amboise Castle in those days was mainly decorated in the Gothic style.

Palace under Francis I

Charles VIII died suddenly at Amboise Castle at a very young age. According to historians, he hit his head hard on a ceiling that was too low, and died from the injury. He was only twenty-eight years old. His successor was Louis XII, who continued to improve the palace, but the castle of Amboise reached its real prosperity under his son, Francis I, who was a recognized patron of science and the arts.

He gathered famous masters in France. He responded to his invitation. In 1515, Leonardo da Vinci was invited here. He settled on the Clos-Lucé estate not far from the royal castle. The master brought with him unfinished works from Italy, among which was the Mona Lisa. In Clos Luce the painter completed his masterpieces. Here he lived for three years, the last of his life.

Amboise Castle (France) was connected to the Master's estate by a secret underground passage. I really loved spending evenings in the artist’s company, talking with him about life and art. The Great Master died in 1519. He was buried in Amboise, in the church of St. Florentin.

The remains of the great artist were disturbed in Time of Troubles revolution. The rebels practically destroyed the temple and desecrated the grave. In the years French Revolution the main part of the castle was looted and destroyed. Here they set up barracks and opened a button factory. The royal treasures were mercilessly stolen. To stop this chaos, the remaining parts of the castle were transferred to the ownership of the House of Orleans by the Third Republic.

The Duchess of Orleans did a lot to restore the castle. She, in fact, revived the castle and restored almost all of its grounds. Her son, the future Louis-Philippe, after the death of his mother, acquired 46 houses in the vicinity of the castle. He planned to demolish the “unnecessary” buildings and free up the area in front of Amboise.

St. Louis Foundation

In 1974, the castle was transferred to the management of this foundation. It is led by the Count of Paris. Immediately after the end of World War II, large-scale restoration work began in the palace, which is still ongoing. Thanks to the efforts of the foundation’s employees, the internal gardens of the complex are in excellent condition.

Visitors can enjoy fascinating excursions and journeys through the mysterious dungeons of the castle. There are especially many people who want to go on night walks. Especially for them, designer Yukijung developed a delightful light show with laser projection, video and audio effects.

Amboise Castle: description of architecture

The architectural features of the Renaissance are harmoniously intertwined in this building with the traditions of the Middle Ages. According to experts, all the castles of the Loire (including Amboise) are of great interest to researchers.

Having entered the fortress and climbed the ramp, tourists find themselves on a terrace, fortified by a wall, from which an amazing view of the Loire Valley and the city opens. Here you can see the Saint-Hubert Chapel, which is decorated with magnificent sculptural compositions. It contains the ashes of the great Leonardo da Vinci.

Climbing to the roof of the Knight's Tower, you can see the residence of Charles VIII. The third floor balcony is the same “balcony of the hanged” from which the Valois watched the execution of the Protestant conspirators. At the end of the tour, you can climb the spiral staircase to the top floor of the Minim Tower. Its diameter is 20 meters and its height is 40.

Interior

Anyone can visit the magnificent castle as part of an excursion group accompanied by a professional guide. The description of Amboise Castle does not give the full experience of visiting this wonderful building. Nevertheless, we invite you to take a virtual tour of the inner chambers of the palace.

Famous Flemish artists made a huge contribution to the design of the castle's interiors. For the rooms, tapestries were brought from Flanders, and carpets from Turkey. Having gone inside the castle, tourists first find themselves in the Security Hall, decorated with a Gothic chest, a buffet and carved benches. In the hall of the noble guard are presented which are decorated with many coats of arms. On the pediment there are statues of worshipers and Charles VIII. There are fireplaces in the south and north transepts, intended for the convenience of royalty.

The castle - the palace in Amboise has several magnificent halls. In the drummer's hall, which was intended for musicians who once played in the stands, you can see magnificent hand-woven Flemish carpets created in the 16th century.

The Meeting Room with its Gothic vaults is decorated with lotus flowers and ermine tails - attributes of power in France and Brittany. Here you can also see portraits of King Henry IV.

The Hall of Eshanson (the servant who served drinks to the king) is interesting with its exquisite Aubusson tapestries and carved furniture.

Henry II's bedroom is decorated in the classical Renaissance style. There is a huge bed decorated with four columns and elaborate furniture.

In the bedroom of François I there is furniture of different styles, but especially interesting is a narrow table made of mahogany, with drawers, as well as chairs with openwork crossbars.

In the music salon you can see an Erard piano, a table with chairs and a secretary. Portraits of the royal family hang on the walls.

Contacts

The historical and architectural complex is located at: Mont e Abdel-Kader, 37403 Amboise, France. Phone number for inquiries: + 33 2 47 57 0098.

How to get there?

If you are traveling from Paris by car, you should take the A10 highway to Ambrose. Drive 15 km along the D31 and then onto the N152. If you prefer public transport, then from the Gare d'Austerlitz you should take the train to Amboise. Trains run five times a day. The journey will take you three hours.

Listed as a protected historical monument back in 1840, the Royal Castle of Amboise is one of the most famous castles in the Loire. It is located just an hour from Paris, in the heart of the Amboise Valley. This royal residence and its gardens offer a unique panorama of the Loire Valley.

Kings and artists

Famous European architects and artists, who came here at the invitation of the kings, turned this medieval fortress into a Renaissance palace. Amboise preserves the memory of the childhood of future kings - Charles VIII and Francis I, the magnificent festivities of the royal court, the secrets, intrigues and tragedies of the royal families.

Today, Amboise Castle is open to the public all year round. There are several ways to explore, and there are always interesting events taking place here, reflecting different aspects of its history, including its political and cultural heyday during the Renaissance.

History of the Castle of Amboise

The Royal Castle of Amboise is called the cradle of the French Renaissance; it became the place where all the monarchs of the Valois and Bourbon dynasties lived or visited from time to time.

As is the case with many other castles in the Loire Valley, the original buildings on the site of Amboise date back to antiquity. In the Middle Ages, for a well-fortified fortress on the site of present-day Amboise, a fierce struggle unfolded between supporters of the Duke of Anjou and the Count of Blois (familiar names, right?). In 1214, the fortress as a result of another “ military operation"became a vassal possession of the King of France Philip Augustus, and in 1431 the owner of the castle, a major feudal lord, Lord Louis d'Amboise, was accused of plotting against the royal favorite and was almost executed. Later, however, they pardoned him, but they took away the castle of Amboise from him - King Charles VII really liked it.

The castle was built mainly in the 15th and 16th centuries kings Charles VIII, Louis XII and Francis I. It was the residence of almost all the kings of the Valois and Bourbon dynasties, the royal court was also located here and, at the invitation of the kings, numerous European artists and masters of literature lived. Over the centuries, Amboise was the place where many events significant for the crown unfolded - the marriages of princes were celebrated, conspiracies were arranged, edicts of peace were issued, as well as births and baptisms, which is why today it is called the “kindergarten” of the kings of France. Charles VIII was born here, Francis I, his sister Margaret of Angoulême, as well as the children of Henry II and Catherine de Medici were raised.

The Royal Castle of Amboise has a rich collection of Gothic and Renaissance furniture, testifying to its glorious past.

During the revolution, the castle was confiscated, survived a fire, and then several stages of destruction. During the Restoration, Amboise was returned to the only heiress of the Duke of Penthievres - Louise Marie Adelaide de Bourbon (1753-1821), Duchess of Penthievres. Her son Louis Philippe I inherits the castle on his mother's side, but it is then confiscated again in 1848. The personal property of the House of Orleans is sequestered by the provisional Republican government, and the royal castle of Amboise becomes a state prison. In particular, Emir Abd al-Qadir lived in it with his retinue from November 1848 to October 1852, until he was freed by Napoleon III. In 1873, the castle was returned to the House of Orleans and subsequently restored in accordance with the wishes of the Duke of Aumale.

Every year, the Saint Louis Foundation, which owns the castle today, allocates funds for its restoration and improvement. Work is being carried out in several directions, for example, the bridge access ramp to the terraces has been restored, about twenty items from the palace exhibition have been restored, and a long-term program of restoration of the fortress walls continues.

After 5 years of restoration, from July 1, 2014, the stables from the time of Louis Philippe will be open to the public for the first time at the Château d'Amboise. These stables will be included in the tour, leading visitors to the second equestrian tower, decorated with rich ornamentation. In addition, a lift was installed nearby to facilitate access to the stables for people with disabilities.

Great personalities in the history of Amboise

Charles VIII nicknamed the Amiable (1470-1498): king of France from 1483 to 1498. He was born in the royal castle of Amboise in 1470 and was raised here. Charles VIII became king at the age of 13, and at the age of 21 he married Anne of Brittany, thus preparing the basis for the union of the Duchy of Breton and the French kingdom. He dies in a freak accident at the age of 27 - hitting his head on the lintel while entering a low room. It was Charles VIII who began the grandiose project of building a palace in the early Renaissance style with a chapel, chambers, and equestrian towers, which have partially survived to this day.

Louis XII nicknamed Father of the People (1462-1515): King of France from 1498 to 1515. In 1499, he became the second husband of Anne of Brittany, as provided for in the marriage contract of his predecessor. He continues the construction of the Grand Palace, begun by Charles VIII.

Does Louis XII in this portrait remind you of anyone?

Francis I(1494-1547): King of France from 1515 to 1547. He arrives in Amboise at the age of 4 and is raised here as the Dauphin. He remained attached to the castle where he spent his childhood even after his accession to the throne in 1515. Francis I decides to decorate this pearl of architecture and orders the construction of a Renaissance palace, the lucarnes of which are crowned with his monogram. To increase his prestige, he wants to surround himself famous artists, such as Leonardo da Vinci, whom he invites to move to Amboise in 1516.

Leonardo da Vinci at the invitation of King Francis I, he settled near the royal palace of Amboise, in the castle of Clos-Lucé. He brought here 3 masterpieces, which today are exhibited in the Louvre (“La Gioconda”, “Madonna and Child and St. Anne” and “St. John the Baptist”). Leonardo spends the last 3 years of his life on the Clos-Lucé estate, where he is engaged in teaching, drawing and inventing. During his stay in Amboise, he engaged in another little-known activity that combined his talents as an architect, mechanic and decorative artist, organizing saignettes, or performances for the monarch, using many “special effects”, such as the performance of “Paradise” ” in June 1518, during which complex machines imitated the movement of the stars. In accordance with his last wishes, he was buried in the royal castle and now rests in the chapel of St. Hubert.

Henry II(1519-1559): King of France from 1547 to 1559. He erected a new palace in the castle overlooking the garden for his children.

Diane de Poitiers(1500-1566): Duchess of Valentinois and Diois and Duchess d'Etampes, for 20 years she was the favorite of King Henry II, who constantly showed her his affection.

Catherine de' Medici(1519-1589): Queen of France from 1547 to 1559. Arriving at the court, she married the future king Henry II, son of Francis I. Catherine de Medici came to the royal castle of Amboise several times and left a noticeable mark on its history, in particular, in 1563 the famous treaty with Protestants “The Peace of Amboise” was signed here ", indicating her desire to encourage religious tolerance in the French kingdom.

Francis II(1544-1560): ephemeral king of France from 1559 to 1560. He was the eldest son of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici and lived in Amboise during the events of the Amboise Conspiracy (1560), one of the first episodes of the Wars of Religion.

Mary Stuart(1542-1587): wife of King Francis II of France and Queen of France from 1559 to 1560. This Scot was raised at court as a French princess and lived in Amboise until her husband's death in December 1560, when she returned to Scotland where she becomes "Mary, Queen of Scots."

Louis XIV(1638-1715): King of France from 1643 to 1715. Having ascended the throne at the age of 4, the “Sun King” was one of the longest-serving rulers in European history (72 years). During his reign, he came to Amboise several times (1660, 1700).

Nicolas Fouquet(1615-1680): Superintendent of Finance to Louis XIV from 1653 to 1661. On suspicion of embezzlement, Nicolas Fouquet was arrested by order of the king and kept in the castle from December 4 to 16, 1661. He was then taken to Paris to stand trial. He was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment in the fortress of Pignerol, located in the Savoy Alps.

D'Artagnan(1611/15-1673): Having received the order to arrest Nicolas Fouquet, d'Artagnan escorts him from one place of detention to another and thus spends several days in the royal castle of Amboise.

Louis Philippe(1773-1850): King of the French from 1830 to 1848. Before ascending to the throne in 1830, he successively held the titles of Duke of Valois (1773-1785), Duke of Chartres (1785-1793) and Duke of Orléans (1793-1830). The king himself rarely appears in Amboise, but for his family the castle serves as a holiday destination. For this purpose, the king makes a number of transformations: he clears the space at the foot of the fortress walls by purchasing about fifty houses; transforms the garden into an English park; transforms the basement of the Palace of the Seven Virtues into stables and restores the apartments of the former royal palace.

Duke of Omal(1822-1897): 5th son of King Louis Philippe. He was one of the last private owners of the castle, which he acquired in 1895 and where, as in his castle of Chantilly, he does everything to ensure the preservation of this historical monument in the full sense of the word.

Abd al-Qadir(1808-1883): a religious and tribal leader, he became the leader within a few years of the revolt against French troops in Algeria and led it from 1830 to 1847. In this regard, he is considered one of the founders of the Algerian state. Having become a prisoner of France, he lived in the royal castle of Amboise starting in 1848. In 1851 he was allowed to leave the castle and he established close relations with the local nobility. After the liberation of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte in October 1852, he moved to Bursa and then to Damascus. In 1863 he returned to Amboise, where the streets were decorated for the occasion as a sign of deep respect for him from the population.

How to get to the Royal Castle of Amboise on your own:

By car from Paris:

A10 motorway, exit at Amboise, 15 km on the D31 and then on the N152.

Motorway A28, at the Tours sud junction towards A85.

A85 motorway, exit Bléré Amboise Chenonceau, direction Amboise via road D31.

By TGV train:

From Paris from Gare d’Austerlitz to Amboise station. Travel time is approximately 1 hour 40 minutes, and you find yourself very close to the castle. Be careful: some trains go from the Gare d'Austerlitz to Amboise with a change at the Orleans centre, and this extends the travel time by almost an hour.

Or another option - from the Paris Montparnasse station to the SAINT PIERRE DES CORPS station (this is four kilometers from TOURS), and there you change to a commuter train to Amboise (travel time from Saint Pierre de Cors to the Amboise station is 10 minutes) , and in total from Paris to the castle this way – a little more than 1 hour 30 minutes. So this is also a good way.

Might be interesting:

Amboise Castle photo

The current buildings of Amboise were built from 1492 on the orders of Charles VIII, son of Louis XI, born here on June 30, 1470. Inspired by his expedition to Italy, from where he brought back many jewels, his entire reign was marked by Italian influence. Arriving together with architects and sculptors, the king decorated the castle. With the help of the gardener, Pacello arranged the decorative garden in a special way.

During their reign, Louis XII and his cousin Francis I continued to build both a fortress and a palace. Francis I, who promotes the development of literature and art, receives artists and poets here.

The elegant Chapel of St. Hubert, built in the 15th century, with an interior made in the Gothic fiery style, houses the remains of Leonardo da Vinci. Terrible events, referred to as the Amboise conspiracy, led to the fact that the castle was soon abandoned. Louis XII spent all his time here until Louis XIII turned it into a prison.

This magnificent Gothic and Renaissance castle - the most Italian castle of the Loire - was unfortunately destroyed due to shelling in 1940 during the Second World War.

Despite these dark pages of history, the royal house or the Minim Tower, decorated with magnificent railings, still delights today. Thanks to the kings who marked the history of France here, a visit to the castle and city gardens will leave no one unimpressed.

Story

In the city of Amboise in the French department of Loire-et-Indre, the luxurious royal castle of Amboise rises above the Loire. The French castle belonged to the powerful and noble d'Amboise family for all four centuries, and only in 1434 did it become royal property. And the history of this beautiful castle is as follows: In the Middle Ages, between the North Amass River and the Loire River, on the Amboise cliff, there were fortifications made of stone and wood. The castle of Amboise was very often subject to raids by the Normans, after some time it was annexed to the lands that belonged to the counts of Angers, then it was in the possession of the Amboise-Chaumont dynasty, and only then, namely in 1422, the French castle was inherited by the Viscount de Thouars, Louis.

In 1436, Louis d'Amboise, who was preparing a conspiracy against the favorite of Charles VII, was sentenced to death. The owner of the castle was pardoned and his castle again became the property of the king. In addition, in 1431 the royal castle became part of the royal estate, in which Charles VII stayed very often. Thus, the castle of Amboise gradually became a royal residence and acquired quite significant privileges. Children were born to King Louis XI in this castle. On August 1, 1469, one of the main events during the reign of Louis XI took place. Amboise was The Order of St. Michael was established. This order had important political significance and therefore 15 high-ranking barons were even gathered on the occasion, who became acquainted with the charter of the knightly order.

King Charles VIII also spent a happy life in the castle, whose attachment to this place is explained by the fact that he met Margaret of Austria there. Charles VIII and Margaret were engaged; at the time of the engagement, Margaret was 3 years old. She lived in the French castle until 1492, but was saddened by the next event, because in 1491 Charles VIII married Anne of Brittany. Accordingly, Margaret had to leave the castle and return to Flanders. Starting from a new stage in his life, Charles VIII gave orders for the reconstruction of the castle, now some of the interior had an Italian character. But construction work was interrupted due to an accident that led to the death of Charles VIII. When he went with his wife to watch a ball game, fashionable at that time, Charles VIII accidentally hit his head, or rather his forehead, on a low door while running and died within a few hours. At that time he was 28 years old.

Then Anne of Brittany marries Louis XII, who did not continue construction work in Amboise, because... he preferred another castle - Blois. Construction work on the Amboise Castle was resumed in 1500, when Francis I came to power. The castle acquired a new look. Also, the Bourbon and Valois dynasties greatly honored the Amboise castle with their presence until the French Revolution. Louise-Marie-Adelaide de Bourbon-Pentievre passed this prestigious estate to her son Louis-Philippe in 1821. Thus, the castle of Amboise remains in the heritage of France. Today, this castle belongs to the St. Louis Foundation. In 1519, Leonardo da Vinci himself was buried in the French royal castle of Amboise.

Situated 20 km upriver from Tours, Amboise is a sophisticated tourist town and a great place to take children if they are not interested in bloody history castle, they can be taken to the nearby aquarium and mini-chateau park.

Amboise weather:

Amboise guide:

The road from Tours along the main N152 highway along the northern side of the Loire is quite crowded, but very spectacular: the road passes over a bridge over the central island of Ile d'Or, offering magnificent views of the façade framed by towers. The D751 road along the left bank of the river is calmer and has the advantage of a plane tree alley at the entrance to the city.

You can get information about Amboise and the Touraine-Amboise appellation at the tourist office, on the quai du Général-de-Gaulle (June and September Mon-Fri 9.30-13.00 / 14-18.30, Sun 10-13 / 15-18; July and Aug . Mon–Sat 9–20, Sun 10–18, Oct–May Mon–Sat 10–13 / 14–18, wwww.amboise-valdeloire.com).

Getting to Amboise:

Amboise train station - gare SNCF - is located on the north bank, at the end of rue Jules Ferry, about 1 km from the castle. Numerous trains run from here to and from.

By car to Amboise:

• Toll highway A10, exit - , 15 km along D31, then along N152
• Toll road A28, exit towards A85.
• Toll highway A85, exit Bléré Amboise, direction D31

By train to Amboise:

• The high-speed train (TGV) station is located 20 km from the castle,
• Regional trains - to Amboise station ().

Train schedule to Abouaz:

The schedule is as of 2016, for weekdays. There may be fewer flights on weekends.

From

• Direct train from , approximately 1:50 on the way, ticket 15 - 33€ (depending on the tariff).
• Departure from Paris to Amboise: 7:37, 12:59, 17:37, 18:37.
• Departure from Amboise to Paris: 6:40, 11:40, 15:34, 17:30.

From

• Direct train, approximately 17 - 23 minutes travel time, ticket 5,70 € .
• Departure from Tours to Amboise: 4:52, 6:03, 6:20, 6:28, 7:03, 7:50, 11:18, 12:39, 14:03, 15:14, 15:24, 16:27, 16:56, 16:56, 7:10, 17:28, 18:03, 18:28, 19:06, 21:03, 22:13.
• Departure from Amboise to Tours: 6:58, 7:47, 8:15, 8:37, 9:36, 9:56, 12:33, 13:47, 14:01, 15:07, 15:43, 16:37, 17:45, 18:45, 19:28, 19:51, 20:27, 20:44, 21:46, 22:48.

From

• Direct train, approximately 1 hour journey, ticket 16,50 € .
• Departure from Orleans to Amboise: 6:42, 6:55, 7:07, 7:35, 8:37, 11:24, 12:42, 14:15, 14:42, 16:43, 16:54, 17:42, 18:36, 18:42, 19:36, 19:42, 20:42, 21:43.
• Departure from Amboise to Orleans: 5:10, 6:21, 6:40, 7:22, 8:08, 9:08, 11:40, 13:09, 15:34, 15:42, 17:13, 17:30, 18:22, 19:27, 20:09, 21:21, 22:31.

Hotels in Amboise:

Hotels in Amboise are quite expensive, and in high season (July - August) everything is booked much in advance.

City of Amboise:

Amboise has two main streets that rival in their lack of charm: the busy the main road, running along the river, quai du Général de Gaulle/quai Charles-Guinot, and a long pedestrian street running parallel to it, rue Nationale, lined with cheap souvenir shops and crêperies. The town becomes more beautiful as you approach the castle, with its 15th-century Porte de l'Horloge gate guarding the entrance to Place Michel Debré, which occupies a dramatic position against the castle's towering walls. Lines of heavy protective buttresses gradually turn into ornamented windows, rising higher to the chapel - chapelle de St-Hubert, ironically located above.

Amboise Castle:

Rising above the Loire like a sculpted ornate rock, château d'Amboise dominates the town, located at the foot of the castle. The entrance to the castle is through the Tour Heurtault, on the upper side of the place Michel Debré.

In July and August, around 10 p.m., there are light and sound shows (tickets from €12; wwww.renaissance-amboise.com), with Leonardo's image projected onto the castle walls and costumed actors playing Renaissance music. Like many others, the history of the castle is told.

Chapelle de St-Hubert

At the base of the castle there is a miniature chapel of St. Hubert, on the south side of the terrace. The most notable thing here is the carving above the vault with the image of St. Hubert is opposite a mystical vision of a deer with a cross between its antlers, which transformed Hubert from an idle hunter into one of religious contemplatives. This pattern of behavior had little effect on the French monarchs who came to Amboise to hunt. Inside you can admire modern stained glass windows by Max Igran. The plaque marks the burial site of the probable remains of Leonardo da Vinci, which were discovered in the castle's foundations in the 19th century, on the site of the collegiate church, and transferred to this chapel.

But it's worth exploring the base of the city a little further. Walk past the castle towards the east gate, a medieval building that was once the main entrance to the castle. To the left, along the terrace overlooking the Loire, is the famous garden created by the Neapolitan Pacello da Mecrogliano at the behest of King Charles VIII. The garden you see now is not made in the likeness of the original one, but is made in the style of Renaissance parks, with characteristic neat rows of round bushes framed by exotic cypress trees.

The best view of the castle is from the small hill on the eastern corner of the garden, where you can also see the unexpected cemetery, which serves as a reminder of one of the castle's most unwanted guests. Abd el-Kader, the leader of the Algerian army who fought against the French colonial army in the 1830s, spent 4 years in slavery in the castle of Amboise after his defeat, and 26 stone tombstones stand over the graves of various members of his family and entourage who died in period of his slavery. The large monument in the center of the cemetery was financed by the people of Amboise in 1853, who had overcome their initial embarrassment at the unusual appearance and behavior of the Algerians, and felt great sympathy for their leader by the time he died.

Clos-Lucé

Following his campaigns in Lombardy, Francis I decided that best way importing the ideas of the Renaissance to France means bringing the best examples of new art. In 1516 he made a dangerous journey through the Alps in response to a royal invitation, and for the three years before his death he lived in Clos-Lucé, at the end of rue Victor-Hugo (5 minutes walk from the city center).

Leonardo seemed to enjoy his semi-retirement at the Castle of Amboise, devoting himself to various ingenious and impractical ideas and enjoying conversations with his royal patron. His home - an interesting brick mansion with Italianate details added by Charles VIII's Neapolitan craftsmen - has now been converted into a Leonardo da Vinci museum. If you can ignore the haunting Renaissance music and the reconstructed interior with its suspiciously new beams and giant stone fireplaces, the museum is still interesting. The Oratoire d'Anne de Bretagne, built by Charles VIII for his new wife, is one of the busiest places. This tiny chapel with vaulted ceilings is possibly decorated with frescoes by Leonardo's last student, Francesco de Melzi. If this is really his, then this only shows how little he managed to learn from his brilliant teacher.

At the bottom of the building are 40 delightful models of Leonardo's mechanical inventions; from the suspension bridge to the catamaran and turbine, everything was carefully made according to the inventor's plans, in accordance with his sketches. Children and teenagers will especially like them.

How to get there
By train to the train station Amboise, bd Gambetta, 800 m from the city center.
From Paris: Trains leave from Gare d'Austerlitz 5 times a day. Travel time is 3 hours, ticket price is 28 euros.
From Blois: 15 times a day, 20 minutes, 6.5 euros.
From Tours: 15 times a day, 20 minutes, 6 euros.

By bus to the quai du General de Gaulle stop, parking at the tourist office. Bus number 10 SAT, ring route, July-September 8 times a day. Tours: 40 minutes, 3 euros. Chenonceaux 35 minutes, 1.3 euros.

By car: along the N152 highway.

City landmarks
The old town and castle are on the southern bank of the Loire, and the railway station is on the northern bank. From the station to the castle you can walk along rue Jules Ferry and then along the General Leclerc bridge. The island in the middle of the Loire is called Ile d'Or. The bridge ends at the General de Gaulle embankment. The tourist office and bus station are downstream of the river. The entrance to the castle is from Place Michel Debre, which is often called Place du Chateau.

On the pedestrian street rue Nationale, running west from pl. Michel Debre, selling souvenirs. Rue Victor Hugo goes south from it, following which you can get (300 m) to the Clos Luce castle, where Leonardo da Vinci lived.

Tourist office
Quai General de Gaulle, in the pavilion opposite house no. 7.
Tel. 02 47 57 09 28, fax 02 47 57 14 35
Website
How does it work: from November to Easter Mon.-Sat. 9.00-12.30 and 14.00-18.30; the rest of the time and on Sun. 10.00-12.00.
You can take a map of Amboise and a map of the surrounding area.

The main attractions of the city are the royal Amboise castle with the chapel of St. Hubert, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried, and Clos-Lucé mansion where Leonardo da Vinci lived last years own life. The park at the estate will be interesting for children: there are many working models of Leonard’s technical inventions, almost life-size - a tank, a bridge, a pump, boats, etc. (photo). But if you plan to visit it (and it takes about half an hour to walk from Amboise Castle to Clos Lucé), then along the way pay attention to the left side of rue Victor Hugo: on the “second line” of the streets you can see the so-called. troglodyte dwellings. Everyone walks by, not even suspecting their existence - meanwhile, they are very curious and picturesque.

And one more thing: take a look at the famous coffee shop Bigot on Place Michel Debre (at the foot of the castle), which was visited by a lot of celebrities from all over the world - excellent coffee (one and a half euros for a coffee pot that holds 3 cups) and magnificent hand-made sweets!

On Saint Jean island, or Ile d'Or, where the bridge across the Loire leads, there is a park with beaches, a swimming pool and playgrounds. It offers views of the city and the castle. Church of Saint-Jean(Eglise St. Jean, early 13th century). Along the embankment, houses from the 11th, 13th and 16th centuries have been preserved, including the town hall (1505). IN Town Hall Museum(Musee de l "Hotel de Ville) you can familiarize yourself with documents on the history of the city, a collection of works of art, part of which is dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, as well as a collection of furniture and Aubusson tapestries. Open from July 1 to September 30, 10.00-12.30 and 14.00- 18.00, closed on Saturdays.

Walking along pl. Michel Debre along rue Nationale and passing the porte de l "Horloge (XV century), you can reach Church of Saint Denis(Eglise St Denis), a fine example of the rare Angevin style of the 12th century. The church arose in the 12th century. and was rebuilt over three centuries. A notable part of the temple is the high nave. The relief compositions of the plot capitals depict the martyrdom of various saints, the massacre of infants, a miraculous fish catch, etc. It is characteristic that next to the religious scenes there are also images generated by medieval mythology: fantastic animals, sirens, exotic plants. In the crypt there is a marble statue of the “Drowned Woman” (XVI century)