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I went to Blenheim Palace alone on a chilly, rainy day towards the end of my stay at
Oxford. I hadn�t brought an umbrella, as usual, but I did remember my camera. And as it turned out, the overcast skies provided the perfect backdrop for the green rolling hills, the yellow buildings, the white stone bridges.
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Anyone who has seen Kenneth Branaugh�s Hamlet has been to Blenheim Palace. Well, the outside of it anyway. It's no wonder that he decided to use the 18th century palace as the setting of his Hamlet; the above picture shows the beauty of the building, even in the rain.
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The picture above is your first glimpse of the palace as you enter the gates from the street. The palace was built in 1705 for the 11th Duke of Marlborough, and was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. It's a prime example of baroque architecture in England. The yellow building, with its massive windows and graceful stonework is breathtaking. Pause to take some pictures.
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Once you enter the palace, you can't stop looking around. There is so much to look at, and as soon as you think you've seen everything in the room, you look up and see that the ceiling is painted with a battle scene as it is in the Great Hall, or delicately carved as in the above picture, taken in the Long Library.
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When you enter the palace, stick around for a guided tour. You'll learn all about the history of the palace, the inspiration for the artwork and stories behind the tapestries.
The Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, won a decisive battle against Louis XV's troops, which saved Europe from French domination. It's understandable, then, that such an amazing palace should have been constructed for him.
Now let's head outside to the gardens.
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