The burialplace of Leonardo da Vinci - The Chateau of Amboise - Exploring the Castles of the Loire Valley #7
Where is buried Leonardo da Vinci?
We don't know where Leonardo da Vinci's human rests are now, but we know where he was buried.
Leonardo da Vinci was buried in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert in Château d'Amboise, in France, accordingly with its last will.
Today if you visit the Château d'Amboise, in the chapel a large tombstone marks the site where he was buried and a statue in the gardens of the castle remember Leonardo da Vinci.
Leonardo da Vinci was buried in the Château d'Amboise because in the little town he lived his last years serving the King of France.
Leonardo da Vinci's last home Clos Lucé is a very interesting museum of the Italian artist and inventor.
Today Amboise is a very popular place for those who today are still fascinated by such an amazing personality and life as the one of Leonardo da Vinci.
What is so special about the Chateau of Amboise?
When you ask yourself this question you probably mean: "Why is so special about the Chateau of Amboise apart from being Leonardo da Vinci burial place?"
Arrive at Amboise and go towards the river Indre et Loire that crosses the little town of Amboise.
Arrive at the bridge, look infront of you and enjoy the best view of the Chateau d'Amboise and maybe to one of the most beautiful Chateaux in France.
If this is the best view of the castle on a distance the other great views you have walking around the walls and in the narrow street of the village surrounding the castle.
The castle is so big and so impressive that you will remain amazed of its size and it is beauty, look at the photos below and you will have just an idea of its grandness.
Is the history of the Castle particularly interesting?
The Chateau of Amboise was a royal residence and as many others in France is astonishingly beautiful and impressive.
What is particularly interesting about the history of the castle is the strong connection with Italy that this castle possess.
Apart for being the place where Leonardo da Vinci was buried and lived the last years (although his private home was just a mile away from the Chateau of Amboise, at Clos Luce), the castle of Amboise enjoy a strong connection with the Italian architecture and style, making of the chateau "the first Italianate palace in France".
"Following the Italian War of 1494–1495, Charles brought Italian architects and artisans to France to work on the château, and turn it into "the first Italianate palace in France".
Among the people Charles brought from Italy was Pacello da Mercogliano who designed the gardens at the châteaux of Ambois and Blois; his work was highly influential amongst French landscape designers.
Charles died at Château d'Amboise in 1498 after he hit his head on a door lintel. Before his death he had the upper terrace widened to hold a larger parterre and enclosed with latticework and pavilions; his successor, Louis XII, built a gallery round the terrace which can be seen in the 1576 engraving by Jacques Androuet du Cerceau, in Les plus excellens bastimens de France.
The parterres have been recreated in the twentieth century as rectangles of lawns set in gravel and a formal bosquet of trees". (from wikipedia - Chateau d'Amboise)
Why the myth of Leonardo da Vinci exists?
Many explanations can be given for the existence of Leonardo da Vinci's myth, we loved the one of Giorgio Vasari a famous Italian painter, architect, writer and historian, who lived in the same time of Leonardo:
"In the normal course of events many men and women are born with remarkable talents; but occasionally, in a way that transcends nature, a single person is marvellously endowed by Heaven with beauty, grace and talent in such abundance that he leaves other men far behind, all his actions seem inspired and indeed everything he does clearly comes from God rather than from human skill. Everyone acknowledged that this was true of Leonardo da Vinci, an artist of outstanding physical beauty, who displayed infinite grace in everything that he did and who cultivated his genius so brilliantly that all problems he studied he solved with ease".
A great thanks goes to Anne-Claire and Ludo Chêne-Geffroy for making this post possible!
What else I can visit near Amboise?
Near Amboise you can visit the beautiful town of Tours click here to read more.
If I have to choose, what are the other castles of the River Loire Valley I should absolutely visit?
All the castles of the River Loire Valley, but time and money suggest you should make a choice.
We selected for you an itinerary, so to give you the widest sight and prospective about these beautiful chateaux, so unique and so different one with the others.
Here the links to the other castles we absolutely suggest you visit:
Exploring the Castles of the River Loire Valley #1 - The Castle of Nantes