The small charming town of Fontainebleau just south of Paris is popular with both locals and tourists. While tourists flock to the magnificent Chateau de Fontainebleau, locals love to escape the bustle of the city to the shady, magnificent Forest of Fontainebleau that is spread around the castle. Both the forest and the castle are recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The castle was built in the 12th century as a royal hunting lodge, but it was abandoned and neglected for centuries until the 16th century when King Francois I rebuilt it and incorporated then fashionable French renaissance style that makes the castle so beautiful today.
The king also incorporated many elements from Italian renaissance, especially Rome. The most striking elements are the Trinity Chapel with painted walls and ceilings, magnificently decorated royal apartments, the Pope’s apartment, Napoleon’s apartment, and the Francois I Gallery, and it is decorated in the typical highly ornate renaissance style and so much more.