Blois lies in the Loire Valley and is one of the well-known stops on the castles route of this region. The Royal Castle of Blois is located here, and the entire valley between Chalonnes and Sully-Sur-Loire is on the UNESCO list.
The beginnings of the city date back to Roman times, when there was a small settlement with thermal springs. Then it was reborn in the early Middle Ages, and in the 9th century the local castle began to be built. At the end of the fourteenth century, the city was bought by Louis Orleans and this event marked the beginning of the golden age of Blois. Soon it became one of the royal residences, and the local castle signed, among others treaties ending the Italian wars.
The most valuable and the most famous monument of the city is the Royal Castle on Blois on the hill. It was built and modernized continuously from the 13th to the 17th century, and its shape and design show the influence of styles from different eras. Inside, you can watch, among others Salle des États, which is considered one of the best-preserved Gothic halls in France, as well as the apartments of Katarzyna Medycejska.
In addition to the castle in Blois, there is also the late-Gothic cathedral of St. Ludwika and the former episcopal palace. You can also see the impressive Romanesque church of St. Nicholas. The Museum of Natural History now operates in the former Benedictine monastery adjacent to it.
