Fontainebleau

The Château de Fontainebleau consists of a cluster of various styles from different time periods. Louis VII had an abbey built here that was consecrated by Thomas Beckett in 1169. A medieval tower survives but the present château dates back primarily to François I. Of particular note are the Salle de Bal, the Galerie François I and the Escalier du Fer-à-Cheval. This imposing horseshoe-shaped staircase by Jean Androuet du Cerceau was built in 1634. Its clever design allows carriages to pass beneath the two arches. The Renaissance ballroom, with its musicians balcony, was designed by Primaticcio (1552) and finished under Henry II. His emblems adorn the walnut coffered ceiling, forming a pattern reflected in the parquet floor as well. The gilded Galerie François I is a tribute to the Italian artists in the Ecole de Fontainebleau. Rosso Fiorentino's allegorical frescoes pay homage to the king's wish to create a "second Rome".

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