Chambord, the largest of the châteaux and one of the most beautiful in the Renaissance style, was the brainchild of François I. It began as a hunting lodge in the Forêt de Boulogne and was built in 1519. By 1537 the towers, keep and terraces had been completed by 1800 workers and two master masons. At one point François suggested diverting the Loire to flow in front of his château, but he settled for redirecting the nearer Closson instead. His son Henry II continued his work, and Louis XIV completed the 440-roomed structure in 1685. What makes Chambord so unique are its numerous little towers, artistic elongated chimneys, miniature spires, shell-shaped domes and richly sculpted gables. If you look closely you will spot salamanders, the royal emblem of François I, which appear 700 times throughout this edifice. The Grand Staircase is of particular note on the interior. This double-helix staircase was supposedly designed by Leonardo da Vinci and ensures that the person going up and the person going down cannot meet. Chambord inspired a modest scaled-down version on the campus of the University of Washington, Denny Hall.