The Château de Chenonceau is undoubtedly the most beautiful palace in the Loire Valley. The current castle was built in 1513 and in 1535 it was confiscated by the French King Francis I (1-1515) as a result of unpaid debts by the owner of the castle. His son, Henry II (1547-2) gave the castle as a gift to his beloved Diana of Poitiers, who in 1555 ordered Philibert de Lorme, one of the greatest architects of the French Renaissance, to build the palace's famous bridge, which gave it its current form.
In 1559, after the tragic death of Henry II during a knightly battle, his widow Catherine de Medici took the palace for herself and turned it into her favorite residence. Catherine de Medici Responsible for the development of the palace's beautiful gardens and the magnificent celebrations held there, which included the first fireworks display in French history in 1560. After the death of Catherine de Medici, the palace passed into the ownership of her daughter-in-law. Louise of Lorraine, who after the death of her husband in 1589 ordered her bedroom to be painted black and hardly left it until the day she died in 1601.
During the 18th century, after a period of decline, the palace of Nantes returned to the center of attention and hosted, among others, Voltaire and the great philosophers. Fortunately, the palace was saved from destruction in time. French Revolution Because it was a single bridge for many kilometers and continued to pass from hand to hand throughout the 19th century. Today, the palace belongs to the Menier family, who own one of the most famous chocolate factories in France. It is the most visited castle in France, after Palace of Versailles, and is undoubtedly a must-see site when visiting the Loire Valley.
https://www.chenonceau.com/index.php/en