Blenheim Palace: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 14:24, 17 April 2019

Monumental country house regarded as finest example of Baroque architecture in England. Situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Built for the Duke of Marlborough. Designed by John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor.

The estate’s name derives from the Battle of Blenheim and celebrates England’s victory over the French during the War of the Spanish Succession. The Palace was a gift to Marlborough, who led the allied forces. A grateful Queen Anne rewarded the Duke for his services with the Royal Manor of Woodstock and the promise to provide the funds needed to build the estate.

In 1705, John Vanbrugh was chosen by John Churchill to design the palace at Woodstock. Due to the fact that Vanbrugh was not a skilful and trained architect the project was realised with a great deal of involvement by the qualified and practical Nicholas Hawksmoor.

Nevertheless, the construction process was not trouble free. Quarrels between the executive architect and the Duke’s wife Sarah Churchill, who hoped for a smaller and less luxurious country house designed for comfort first and status second, made the realisation difficult. Above all Queen Anne restricted the flow of money and the funds for the Palace dried up. On that account the building came to a halt in the summer of 1712 and eventually had to be completed at the Duke’s own expense. The building was commenced in 1705 but was still unfinished at the Duke’s death in 1722, taking another three years for completion.

“The style of the building, indeed, is in unison with its destination. It was intended to be a monument of immortal achievements, and it certainly appears well calculated for permanency” (Eccles 10). The interiors balance the accurate with the awe-inspiring, starting with the vastness of the Great Hall to the detailed décor of the State Rooms. Blenheim Palace houses inestimable treasures of art and literature and especially the State Rooms are filled with important paintings, porcelain collections and tapestries.

The Garden

Queen Anne’s gardener Henry Wise designed the grounds of the palace. The formal style of André Le Nôtre’s famous gardens for Versailles and Vaux-Le-Vicomte in France served as model for the decoration. However just a few elements of Wise’s original landscaping remained. Due to the changes of taste in the mid-18th century Lancelot (Capability) Brown was charged with the reshaping of the grounds in a pastoral style of informal natural landscapes. Architectural elements of the garden include the Grand Bridge and the Column of Victory, which was completed in 1730. The Doric column with its impressive height of 40 metres is topped by the lead statue of the Duke, a visual reference to his success as commander.

In 1987 the palace and its surrounding property were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Sources

Eccles, William: A New Guide to Blenheim, the Seat of the Duke of Marlborough. Woodstock: W. Eccles,1862.
"Blenheim Palace". Encyclopedia Britannica Online Encyclopedia. 07.Nov.2009.
http://www.cotswoldswebsite.com/blenheimpalace/
http://www.blenheimpalace.com/

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-Situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house regarded as finest example of truly [[Baroque]] architecture in England. The estate’s name derives from a [[Battle of Blenheim|decisive battle]] which took place on the 13th August 1704. Accordingly it is the wish to celebrate England’s victory over the French during the [[War of Spanish Succession]] which initiated the building. In particular it was a gift to the [[John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough|First Duke of Marlborough]] who successfully led the allied forces into the Battle at Blindheim (Blenheim). A grateful Queen Anne rewarded the Duke for his services with the Royal Manor of Woodstock and the promise to provide the funds needed to build the estate.
+Monumental country house regarded as finest example of [[Baroque]] architecture in England. Situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Built for the [[John Churchill, First Duke of Marlborough|Duke of Marlborough]]. Designed by [[John Vanbrugh]] and [[Nicholas Hawksmoor]].
-In 1705 Sir [[John Vanbrugh]], English dramatist and architect, was chosen by John Churchill to design the palace at Woodstock. Due to the fact that Vanbrugh was not a skilful and trained architect the project was realised with a great deal of involvement by the qualified and practical Nicholas Hawksmoor.
+The estate’s name derives from the [[Battle of Blenheim]] and celebrates England’s victory over the French during the [[War of the Spanish Succession]]. The Palace was a gift to Marlborough, who led the allied forces. A grateful [[Queen Anne]] rewarded the Duke for his services with the Royal Manor of Woodstock and the promise to provide the funds needed to build the estate.
-Nevertheless the construction process was not trouble free. Quarrels between the executive architect and the Duke’s wife, who hoped for a smaller and less luxurious country house designed for comfort first and status second, made the realisation difficult. Above all Queen Anne restricted the flow of money and the royal funds for the Palace dried up. On that account the building came to a halt in the summer of 1712 and eventually had to be completed at the Duke’s own expense. The building was commenced in 1705 but remained unfinished at the Duke’s death in 1722, taking another three years for completion.
+In 1705, John Vanbrugh was chosen by John Churchill to design the palace at Woodstock. Due to the fact that Vanbrugh was not a skilful and trained architect the project was realised with a great deal of involvement by the qualified and practical Nicholas Hawksmoor.
-“The style of the building, indeed, is in unison with its destination. It was intended to be a monument of immortal achievements, and it certainly appears well calculated for permanency” (Eccles 10). The interiors balance the accurate with the awe-inspiring, starting with the vastness of the Great Hall to the detailed décor of the State Rooms. Blenheim Palace houses inestimable treasures of art and literature and especially the stunning State Rooms are filled with important and high-ranking paintings, amazing porcelain collections and magnificent tapestries.
+Nevertheless, the construction process was not trouble free. Quarrels between the executive architect and the Duke’s wife [[Sarah Churchill]], who hoped for a smaller and less luxurious country house designed for comfort first and status second, made the realisation difficult. Above all Queen Anne restricted the flow of money and the funds for the Palace dried up. On that account the building came to a halt in the summer of 1712 and eventually had to be completed at the Duke’s own expense. The building was commenced in 1705 but was still unfinished at the Duke’s death in 1722, taking another three years for completion.
+“The style of the building, indeed, is in unison with its destination. It was intended to be a monument of immortal achievements, and it certainly appears well calculated for permanency” (Eccles 10). The interiors balance the accurate with the awe-inspiring, starting with the vastness of the Great Hall to the detailed décor of the State Rooms. Blenheim Palace houses inestimable treasures of art and literature and especially the State Rooms are filled with important paintings, porcelain collections and tapestries.
-'''The Garden'''
+== The Garden ==
+Queen Anne’s gardener Henry Wise designed the grounds of the palace. The formal style of André Le Nôtre’s famous gardens for [[Versailles]] and Vaux-Le-Vicomte in France served as model for the decoration. However just a few elements of Wise’s original landscaping remained. Due to the changes of taste in the mid-18th century [[Lancelot (Capability) Brown]] was charged with the reshaping of the grounds in a pastoral style of informal natural landscapes.
-Queen Anne’s gardener Henry Wise designed the grounds of the palace. The formal style of André Le Nôtre’s famous gardens for Versailles and Vaux-Le-Vicomte in France served as model for the decoration. However just a few elements of Wise’s original landscaping remained. Due to the changes of taste in the mid-18th century [[Lancelot (Capability) Brown]] was charged with the reshaping of the grounds in a pastoral style of informal natural landscapes.
+Architectural elements of the garden include the Grand Bridge and the Column of Victory, which was completed in 1730. The Doric column with its impressive height of 40 metres is topped by the lead statue of the Duke, a visual reference to his success as commander.
-Architectural elements of the garden include the Grand Bridge and the Column of Victory, which was completed after Marlborough’s death in 1730. The Doric column with its impressive height of 40 metres is topped by the lead statue of the Duke, a visual reference to his success as commander.
 In 1987 the palace and its surrounding property were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
+== Sources ==
+* Eccles, William: ''A New Guide to Blenheim, the Seat of the Duke of Marlborough''. Woodstock: W. Eccles,1862.
+* "Blenheim Palace". Encyclopedia Britannica Online Encyclopedia. 07.Nov.2009.
+* http://www.cotswoldswebsite.com/blenheimpalace/
+* http://www.blenheimpalace.com/
-'''Sources'''
-Eccles, William: ''A New Guide to Blenheim, the Seat of the Duke of Marlborough''. Woodstock: W. Eccles,1862.
-"Blenheim Palace". Encyclopedia Britannica Online Encyclopedia. 07.Nov.2009.
-http://www.cotswoldswebsite.com/blenheimpalace/
-http://www.blenheimpalace.com/