Without rival, Chambord remains an enigma that researchers have been studying for generations. Who was the architect? What meaning did its creator and patron, Francis I, want to give it, and what was the influence of his master and friend Leonardo da Vinci? Imagined by a young monarch who loved hunting and chivalry, this “stone dream” continues to arouse perplexity five centuries after its construction, especially since no plan of the initial project has been found. Why did the sovereign undertake this titanic project in the middle of the marshes in 1519? And how was this work of genius with a magical appearance, which combines references to medieval fortresses and Renaissance elegance, Italian influence and the know-how of local masons, around its fascinating central staircase with two intertwined rises and its (almost) perfect cross geometry?
Puzzle
Today, archaeological excavations, digitization and 3D modeling of the castle, geophysical prospecting of the basements and a return to manuscript sources provide valuable clues. Plunging both into the tormented reign of Francis I and into the mazes of the monument, with its four towers, its seventy-seven staircases and its four hundred rooms, this captivating investigation gradually assembles the puzzle of its mysterious architecture . Sober historical evocations punctuate this journey through time, which takes us in search of the original project, on the trail of Leonardo da Vinci, from Florence to Romorantin. Also starting from the initial concept to explain the castle that we know, the director investigates the reality of its construction and the fascinating destiny of its founder.
Photo credit: DR (illustrative photo)
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