Located on the River Cher, near the village of Chenonceaux, the Château de Chenonceau, an architectural mixture of late Gothic and early Renaissance, is one of the best-known châteaux of the Loire Valley, and the most visited, after Palace of Versailles. The estate of Chenonceau was first mentioned in writing in the 11th century, but the current château was built in 1514-1522 on the foundations of an old mill. The bridge was built (1556-1559) to designs by the French architect Philibert de l'Orme, and the gallery on the bridge (1570–1576) to designs by Jean Bullant.
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