What type of staircase is associated with Leonardo da Vinci’s design at Chambord?

Leonardo da Vinci is associated with the double helix staircase at the Château de Chambord.

The staircase consists of two separate spiral flights that wind around one another without meeting. A person can ascend one flight while another person descends the other, allowing movement in opposite directions without direct crossing. The two paths surround a central open shaft and create the staircase’s distinctive appearance.

Leonardo spent the final years of his life in France as a guest of King Francis I, near the construction site of Chambord. The château’s design was developed by several architects and builders, so historians do not treat the staircase as an unquestionably documented solo invention by Leonardo. His influence is nevertheless often connected with the structure’s innovative geometry.

The phrase “double helix” describes two intertwined paths, not one ordinary spiral staircase. The staircase is also sometimes called a double spiral staircase, but “double helix staircase” is the specific answer used here.