Blenheim Palace is the residence of the Dukes of Marlborough. History of the Spencer-Churchill family

One of my favorite places on an hour and a half trip from London is Blenheim Palace. It is the only palace in England that does not belong to the Queen, but has the right to be called a palace. The UNESCO World Heritage Monument, built in the English Baroque style, celebrates in every detail the triumph of the first Duke of Marlborough’s military victory over the seemingly invincible French army of Louis XIV. The result of the Battle of Blenheim, a small Bavarian village, was of great importance for subsequent events in the history of England and Europe.

The grateful nation generously gifted its hero John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, with the vast royal lands of the Woodstock estate. The most outstanding architects, artists and decorators of the time, Sir John Vanbrow, Nicholas Hawksmore, Sir John Thornhill, Greenling Gibbons worked on the construction of the magnificent palace.

In addition to a stronghold of national fame, the palace was to serve as the country home of the Dukes of Marlborough, John and Sarah Churchill, whose characters and ambitions we will learn during our tour. Before us will unfold the details of historical events, court intrigues, behind the scenes of royal vicissitudes.

Time turns the pages of history with extraordinary rapidity, sometimes introducing absolutely unpredictable events into them. A story of a kind will flash before us in a moment. Everyone’s life will be presented to us as a live unfinished series, as if invented by our imagination. Passing through the luxurious halls, we will see portraits of all the Dukes of Marlborough, precious interior items, personal belongings, collections collected over the years, valuable gifts carefully guarded by descendants. Behind them is a whole history, a whole era.

Of course, the brightest and most famous representative of the Marlborough family is Winston Churchill. According to Blenheim, he made two important decisions in his life: to be born and to marry. I am very pleased with the decisions I made in both cases.” In addition, being in great friendship with the IX Duke of Marlborough, Churchill spent many happy days in the palace.

We will visit a beautiful exhibition, the exhibits of which tell the story of the life of this amazing man from the first childhood experiences and youthful formations to dizzying success in the literary field, his unsurpassed career as a politician, characterized by unusual foresight and firmness of spirit.

We will finish the tour in a chic park and magnificent gardens for which Blenheim is so famous. Before us will appear grandiose water terraces, charming Italian garden, garden Pink, Lavender, Secret, as well as an exotic house of tropical butterflies and a huge vegetable labyrinth.

The tour is perfectly combined with an excursion to Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, to Warrick Castle.

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