In the gardens of the Château d’Amboise overlooking the Loire, a small, intricate chapel houses the tomb of the “Renaissance Man,” Leonardo da Vinci.
In Leonardo’s final years, the Italian painter, inventor, intellectual and all-around genius spent his time working for the French rulers controlling Milan. In 1515, King Francis I offered Leonardo the title of Premier Painter and Engineer and Architect to the King. Leonardo then moved to France to work for the French monarchy, never to return to Italy. He lived in the Chateau du Clos Lucé in the town of Amboise near the summer palace of the king. Here he focused on scientific studies until his death on May 2, 1519.
Leonardo’s wish was to be buried in the church of St. Florentin in Amboise, which took place on August 12, 1519. However the church was demolished during the French Revolution in the late 18th century (and later by Napoleon I). The alleged bones of Leonardo da Vinci were discovered in 1863 and moved to the Chapel of Saint-Hubert in the gardens of the Château d’Amboise. Today, the tomb can be visited on the left side of the tiny chapel, where two epitaphs (in French and Italian) hang on the wall describing his birth, death, and how he came to rest in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert.
Make sure you don't miss the Chapel of Saint-Hubert, which is located before the entrance of the Château d'Amboise. You must pay admission to the château to visit the chapel. You can visit the chapel before or after touring the inside of the château because the chapel is located in the gardens. The town of Amboise is easily accessible by train and is only about an hour from Paris.
chateauesque
