Leonardo da Vinci at the Royal Chateau of Amboise
The funeral of a simple man
On April 23, 1519, “considering the certainty of his death and the uncertainty of his hour”, Leonardo da Vinci dictated his will. He asked to be laid to rest in the collegiate church of the Château Royal d’Amboise, whose spire he could see from his bedroom window at Le Clos Lucé. In accordance with his wishes, his remains were carried through the town by a procession of some sixty poor and religious, without pomp or ceremony. Thus passed away the greatest mind of his time, and one of history’s greatest artists.
A stunning archaeological discovery
344 years later, archaeological excavations in the ruins of the collegiate church made a discovery. Among other sarcophagi, the body of a man was extracted, whose burial site bore inscriptions evoking Leonardo da Vinci. A number of medals, dated to the early reign of François 1er, confirmed the hypothesis. These are the presumed remains of the Italian maestro. The bones are buried in the Chapel of Saint Hubert, built by Charles VIII. Many visitors from all over the world still come here to pay their respects.
A key player in Amboise's heyday
Leonardo da Vinci’s final resting place is in Amboise. In the very place where he used to dazzle the king and his court with sumptuous fireworks displays and costume parties. In June 1518, he organized the famous Fête du Paradis. All observers recall the sumptuousness of the costumes and the ingenuity of the mechanisms. These enabled his installations to function, all to the sound of soft, gentle music. Back in the peace and quiet, Leonardo wandered the city’s alleyways, sometimes setting up his easel on a street corner. Proof of this is the famous red chalk sketch of a view of the royal castle from the heights of Amboise.
