Amboise, August 2000
Built in the 13th century, the Chateau d'Amboise was another huge castle we visited in the Loire Valley. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the property of the Saint Louis Foundation presided over by the Count of Paris. It has a very imposing site given the fact that it is built on a hill which dominates the city.
The Chataeau d'Amboise
Leonardo da Vinci helped design this huge castle.
Here I am inside the castle with fellow travelers waiting for our guide to tour us around
The Heurtault Tower
A castle wouldn't be complete without gargoyles. The very first time I saw gargoyles at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris in 1988, I didn't like them at all. They looked evil looking. Little did I know they are where they are specifically to ward off evil spirits.
A partial view of the St. Hubert Chapel and the Heurtault Tower
A side view of the St. Hubert Chapel on the grounds of the castle
Here we all are as we enter the St. Hubert Chapel on the grounds of the castle
Stone marking the burial site of Leonardo da Vinci inside the St. Hubert Chapel. There were actually two plaques on the famed artist's resting place. One in French and the other one in Italian.
A view of the pedestrain only town of Amboise
In Amboise