One and a half hour outside London you find Blenheim Palace, a masterpiece of English Baroque architecture. Building of the palace began in 1705 and was completed in 1722, and it is unique in its combined use as a family home, mausoleum and national monument. The palace is also notable as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill.
The picture-perfect British stately home of Blenheim Palace sits among more than 2000 acres of extraordinary landscaped Parkland and Formal Gardens.
Maybe you have seen this palace in movies or TV programs, like the James Bond Spectre, Mission Impossible Rogue Nation, The Royals television soap opera and many more.
You can attend several tours inside the palace like the stunning State Rooms with priceless works of art and magnificent tapestries, Downstairs tour to get a glimpse into the lives of Palace staff over the centuries, Upstairs tour to explore the State Bedrooms and Duke’s Floor tour to explore the Duke of Marlborough’s living quarters. The parks and garden also offer a lot to see and it’s huge so make sure you have enough time and energy to walk around in this beautiful landscape park. You also find cafés and restaurants where you can take a moment to stop, relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
For my Norwegian readers:
En og en halv time utenfor London, finner du slottet Blenheim, et mesterverk av engelsk barokkarkitektur, og Winston Churchills fødested. Byggingen av slottet startet i 1705 og stod ferdig i 1722 og er i dag et kombinert familiehjem og nasjonal monument som er åpent for publikum. Hagen brer seg utover 750 hektar mark med en vakker innsjø, omkranset av steinbroer og skogområder.
Kanskje har du allerede sett dette fantastiske slottet på film eller tv, da dette har blitt brukt i mange filmer som James Bond Spectre, Mission Impossible Rogue Nation, tv serien The Royals og mange fler.
Ønsker du å se innsiden av Blenheim Palace, kan du delta på flere omvisninger, bl.a. The State Rooms tour med overdådige saler fulle av uvurderlig kunst og storslåtte gobelenger, Downstairs tour for å få et innblikk i livet til tjenerne, gjennom tidene, Upstairs tour å utforske State soverommene i overetasjen og Duke’s Floor Tour for å se hvordan hertugen av Marlborough bor.
Parken og hagen som omkranser slottet er også verdt å få med seg, så beregn god tid på å vandre rundt på denne vakre eiendommen. På området finnes det også flere kaféer og restauranter, hvor du kan ta en pause og nyte de flotte omgivelsene.
Winston Churchill was born in this room
How to get here: If you don’t have a car the fastest way to get from London to Blenheim Palace is by train to Oxford Parkway and bus to Woodstock. The bus stops right outside the main entrance. If you travel by bus or train you save 30% on admission by showing your bus/train ticket at the gates.
Opening times: Blenheim Palace is open to explore throughout the year, from 10:30 – 17:30, and the Park is open daily from 09:00 – 18:30.
Hvordan komme seg hit: Hvis du ikke har bil, er enkleste måten å ta toget fra London og buss videre fra Oxford Parkway til Woodstock. Bussen stopper rett utenfor hovedinngangen til Blenheim. Reiser du med kollektiv transport, får du også 30% rabbat på inngangs billetten.
Åpningstider: Blenheim Palace er åpent hele året fra 10:30 til 17:30, og parken er åpen fra 09:00 til 18:30.
The Upper Water Terrace
The Lower Water Terrace with the model of Bernini’s river-god fountain.
The Italian Garden is the Duke’s private garden.
The Secret Garden
Tucked away behind the Secret Garden, the Temple of Health was built to celebrate the recovery of King George III from one of his many bouts of insanity.
Vanbrugh’s Grand Bridge spans the Great Lake, with glorious views on all sides.
The Column of Victory, topped by a statue of the first Duke of Marlborough, surveys the Park from a height of 41m (134ft).
The Grand Cascades were created by ‘Capability’ Brown as part of his 11-year project to re-landscape the Estate by damming the River Glyme to make the Great Lake.
Woodstock Gate
Map of the formal garden and surrounding parks
Thank you for reading!
Travel with Style 