Double helix staircase, Chateau de Chambord

Double helix staircase on the first floor, in the Chateau de Chambord, designed by Domenico da Cortona and built 1519-47 in French Renaissance style under King Francois I, at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France. The open staircase is at the centre of the chateau with 2 helices rising over 3 floors without meeting and is lit from above by a 32m high roof lantern. The staircase is rumoured to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The largest of the Loire Valley chateaux, Chambord has a central keep with 4 bastion towers on the corners, a moat and an elaborate decorative roofline. The chateau is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen

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1519-47 1519-74 Bastion Centre-val Chambord Chateaux Corners Cortona Domenico Domingo Elaborate Floors Helices Helix Loir-et-cher Moat Roofline Rumoured Vinci

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