The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture that blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Italian structures."The artistic influence of Italy came into operation in France sooner than in other European countries, for as early as the fifteenth century the Renaissance style was introduced there by Italian architects, as, for instance, by Fra Giocondo, who was summoned thither by Louis XII. But at the epoch the Flamboyant style was still in its vigour, and the buildings then erected could not extricate themselves from its influence. The consequence was that a blending of the two styles temporarily prevailed, as, for instance in the Château de Blois, which Louis XII. caused to be built, and which has lately been restored by Duban. It was in these country residences of the nobility, especially on the banks of the Loire, that this architectural activity was displayed during the earlier period of the Renaissance; amongst their number the Château de Chambord [shown here] is most worthy of notice. The pilasters and their mouldings of the Renaissance style were, it is true, somewhat rudely carried out, and in the earlier period were combined with certain elements of the Flamboyant style. Highly ornamental gables and dormer-windows. especially, were executed in the latter style. Buildings were contemporaneously constructed entirely in the Flamboyant style, as, for instance, the Cathedral, the Palais de Justice, and the Hâtel Bourgtheroulde, all at Rouen, and the Hâtel de Ville at Compiègne."

Château de Chambord

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable…

"Chateau of Chambord." — Chambers, 1881

Chateau

"Chateau of Chambord." — Chambers, 1881

The Château de Coucy is a French castle in the commune of Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique, in the département of Aisne, built in the 13th century and renovated by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th. In 1917, the German army dynamited the keep and the four towers using 28 tons of explosives.

Chateau de Coucy

The Château de Coucy is a French castle in the commune of Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique, in…

The Royal Château de Blois (French: "Château Royal de Blois") is located in the Loir-et-Cher département in the Loire Valley, in France, in the center of the city of Blois. The residence of several French kings, it is also the place where Joan of Arc went in 1429 to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing with her army to drive the English from Orléans.

Chateau of Blois

The Royal Château de Blois (French: "Château Royal de Blois") is located in the Loir-et-Cher département…

The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles, the île-de-France region of France. In French, it is known as the Château de Versailles."It was principally the above-mentioned system of Roccoco decoration and architectural detail which characterized the architecture of the time of Louis XV.; it is, consequently, sometimes designated as the style of Louis XV. [This image] gives a portion of an interior drawn in perspective.""Internal arrangement and decoration are the main characteristics of the style of this period, and in this direction the best results were doubtless produced. Large and lofty rooms, as well as scope for display, were indispensable; consequently this style of embellishment was most happily carried out in each state apartments, especially in the princely castles and palaces, or, as the French call them, the "Hôtels" of the aristocracy."

Saloon in the Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles, the île-de-France…

An aerial view of the siege of Château Gaillard, also called the Saucy Castle. Construction of the castle was begun by Richard the Lionheart in 1196. The castle was besieged by the French who are pictured encamped  to the south of the castle with a siege tower and two catapults. The fortified town of Petit-Andely is pictured to the north in the background. The River Seine runs to the west.

The Siege of Château Gaillard, the Saucy Castle of Richard the Lionheart - Aerial View

An aerial view of the siege of Château Gaillard, also called the Saucy Castle. Construction of the…