BLENHEIM PALACE

The history of Blenheim Palace goes back to the early 18^th century and presents a condensed history of the Marlborough family. It was recommended by HM Government and accepted by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee for inclusion in the World Heritage List as a site of special heritage value.

Perfectly designed by Sir John Vanbrugh (who was a famous playwright and a friend of John Churchill, 1^st Duke of Marlborough) Blenheim Palace was built in recognition of John Churchill’s great victory over the French at the battle of Blenheim, 1704. The Palace is set in 2,100 acres of parkland landscaped by “Capability” Brown and is one of the finest examples of English Baroque and also the biggest estate in England. The Palace collection comprises paintings, tapestries, sculpture, furniture and other precious works of art located in magnificent gilded state rooms. The interiors of the palace remind medieval decorations. The Long Library of outstanding beauty measures 183’ in length and is one of the longest rooms in an English private house. It contains some 10,000 volumes and a magnificent Willis Organ. Blenheim Palace is considered to be the hymn of praise to the outstanding personality of Sir Winston Churchill.

Blenheim’s Gardens are renowned for their beauty and comprise Water Terraces, Italian Garden, Rose Garden, Arboretum, Pleasure Grounds and Cascade.

An Exhibition of Churchilliana deserves special attention. Manuscripts, paintings, books, personal belongings, photographs and letters of Sir Winston (mainly to his father- Lord Randolph Churchill) are on display in the Palace as well as “Greetings from Sir Winston”, including antique greeting cards and prints with a unique photographic collage, It covers the period of Sir Winston’s life. The core of the exhibition is a simple room where the future Prime Minister was born on 30^th November 1874.

The Marlborough Maze- the world’s largest symbolic hedge maze and a must for visitors (opened in 1991) along with the putting greens, giant chess and draughts and the children’s inflatable castles make the Garden area much more attractive for the visitors.

The Old Palace Dairy with its 18^th century butter cooler and the Gift Centre also including the confectionery and the comestibles shop provide the tourists with a wide range of gifts, souvenirs, films, preserves and sweets to suit all tastes.