Château de Chenonceau

This panoramic photograph, taken on 16 July 2008 by photographer Ra-smit, shows the Château de Chenonceau, in Indre-et-Loire, spanning the river Cher via its famous arched gallery. Built for the most part between 1513 and 1521 by Katherine Briçonnet, the château was given in 1547 by Henry II to his favourite Diane de Poitiers, who had the gardens and the gallery over the river laid out before Catherine de' Medici reclaimed it from her in 1559. Now one of the most visited châteaux of the Loire Valley, it remains one of the most emblematic examples of French Renaissance architecture and of the patronage exercised by the great figures of Henry II's court. This image, selected as Picture of the Day on Wikimedia Commons in March 2009, offers a modern overall view of the monument as it stands today, rather than a period depiction.