Towering above town, Amboise's massively fortified castle was a favored retreat for all of France's Valois and Bourbon kings. Only a few of the château's original structures survive, but you can still visit the furnished Logis (Lodge) – Gothic except for the top half of one wing, which is Renaissance – and the Flamboyant Gothic Chapelle St-Hubert (1493), where Leonardo da Vinci's presumed remains have been buried since 1863. The ramparts afford thrilling views of the town and Loire. Entry includes a virtual reality Histopad.
Charles VIII (r 1483–98), born and bred here, renovated parts in the radical new Renaissance style, at the time a recent import from Italy. In 1560, an unsuccessful attempt by Huguenots to seize power from the ultra-Catholic Guise faction was brutally suppressed, with 1200 summary executions and seven rebel corpses hung on hooks from the château's riverside facade. The defeated Algerian anti-colonial leader Abd el-Kader was imprisoned here with a large entourage from 1848 to 1852. The château hosts lots of cultural events such as concerts. A small restaurant is open from April to September. Last entry is 45 minutes before closing.
