- Type
- Palace / château
- Origins
- 13th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Centre-Val de Loire, France
- Style
- Gothic art
- Architect
- Colin Biard
- Coordinates
- 47.5855°, 1.3310°
History
The oldest part of the château is the 13th-century Hall of the States General, a survivor of the seat of the Counts of Blois. In 1498 Louis XII, who had been born at Blois, made it a royal residence and added a wing of red brick and pale stone. Francis I built a Renaissance wing with an openwork staircase, and in the 1630s Gaston of Orléans commissioned François Mansart to build a classical wing, which was never finished for lack of money. In December 1588, while the States General were in session, Henry III had the Duke of Guise murdered here, and a few weeks later Catherine de' Medici died in the château. In the 19th century Félix Duban carried out a careful restoration.
What to see
Four wings from different periods surround the courtyard, dominated by the octagonal open staircase of Francis I decorated with salamanders. The interiors carry colourful 19th-century decoration in the Renaissance spirit, and Catherine de' Medici's study with its carved panelling survives. The Louis XII wing houses a fine arts museum, and in the evenings a sound and light show is staged in the courtyard.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q4055
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