Question: Where is this plant originally discovered?

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Alnus rubra. British Columbia and the northwestern Pacific Coast Ranges of the United States, red alder grows on cool and moist slopes; inland and at the southern end of its range (California) it grows mostly along the margins of watercourses and wetlands. It is shade intolerant.In moist forest areas, "Alnus rubra" will rapidly cover a former burn or clearcut, often preventing the establishment of conifers. It is a prolific seed producer, but the small, wind-dispersed seeds require an open area of mineral soil to germinate, and so skid trails and other areas disturbed by logging or fire are ideal seedbeds. Such areas.


Question: Where is this insect native to?

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Nyctemera annulata. Nyctemera annulata, the magpie moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1832. It is endemic to New Zealand and found in all parts of the country.## Description.The magpie moth's "woolly bear" caterpillars are around 35–38 mm when fully grown and predominantly black with lines of red down its sides and back, blue spots and tufts of hair on each segment. Its liking for the introduced ragwort causes its caterpillars to be sometimes misidentified as those of the cinnabar moth which was introduced as a biological control for ragwort. By.

Nyctemera annulata. can be seen flying over the tops of host plants."Nyctemera annulata" is closely related to "Nyctemera amica", an Australian species which also occurs in New Zealand. The two species may be able to interbreed."Nyctemera annulata annulata" (New Zealand)"Nyctemera annulata antipodea" (Antipodes Islands)## Distribution.## Natural global range."Nyctemera annulata" is only found in New Zealand.## New Zealand range."Nyctemera annulata" is found all over New Zealand, both in the North and South Islands as well as on smaller outlying islands. The "N. annulata" caterpillar have the ability to freeze themselves and survive. This tolerance of cold weather and freezing temperatures has ensured they.

Nyctemera annulata. are able to exist throughout New Zealand.## Habitat preferences."Nyctemera annulata" are only present in habitats where "Senecio" species occur. They are found most commonly in natural habitats but were also found to occur modified and urban habitats as long as "Senecio" host plants were present, either naturalized or native.## Life cycle/phenology.The life cycle of "Nyctemera annulata" takes 6–7 weeks to complete and requires warm weather with the winter being passed in the pupa stage. The moth will lay yellow eggs on the undersides of herbaceous Senecio species. The eggs gradually become dark and will hatch after approximately 6 – 7.

Nyctemera annulata. of year.## Diet and foraging.The primary food source of "Nyctemera annulata" are plants from the tribe Senecioinae of the Asteraceae. Thirty three species are known to exist in the wild and New Zealand has 19 native "Senecio" species with 14 of them naturalised exotics. "N. annulata" diet is specifically limited to one specific plant. Even though the magpie moth is a native, it has been found that they do not restrict themselves to only the native Senecio species in New Zealand and will also feed on exotic introduced species."N. annulata" is a monophagous herbivore insect meaning that their diet is.

Nyctemera annulata. limited to a species of plant. A study found that "N. annulata" did not restrict itself to the native "Senecio" although the insects were found more frequently in the native forested areas than in the urban/rural area These findings are based on research in the Auckland area, and the study found that the numbers of "Nyctemera" would be far fewer if there were not the naturalised exotic species available to them.The most common form of "Senecio" found in New Zealand is the introduced 'ragwort' ("Jacobaea vulgaris") - a weed in most cultivated areas of the country and the magpie moth.

Nyctemera annulata. answer would depend on which way the pupa wriggled – up to indicate "yes" and down was for "no".There has been some research into the role of plant metabolites, particularly pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are sequestered by "N. annulata". The alkaloids are produced by the plant as a defence against herbivory and the larvae of the moth take them up, potentially also as a form of defense suggested by the high levels of toxin found in the moth. This may be another reason there is not much predation of either the larvae or moth.Species info at Monarch.org.nz.


Question: What is the litter size of this animal?

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Hoffmann's two-toed sloth. related Linnaeus's two-toed sloth, which it closely resembles. The primary physical differences between the two species relate to subtle skeletal features; for example, Hoffmann's two-toed sloth has three foramina in the upper forward part of the interpterygoid space, rather than just two, and often – but not always – has fewer cervical vertebrae.Adults range from 54 to 72 (cm) in head-body length, and weigh from 2.1 to 9 (kg). Although they do have stubby tails, just 1.5 to 3 (cm) long, this is too short to be visible through the long fur. The claws are 5 to 6.5 (cm) long.

Hoffmann's two-toed sloth. Females are larger on average than males, although with considerable overlap in size. Their fur is tan to light brown in colour, being lighter on the face, but usually has a greenish tinge because of the presence of algae living in the hairs.Its karyotype has 2n = 49–51 and FN = 61.## Distribution and habitat.Hoffmann's two-toed sloth inhabits tropical forests from sea level to 3300 (m) above sea level. It is found in the rainforest canopy in two separate regions of Central and South America, separated by the Andes. One population is found from eastern Honduras in the north to.

Hoffmann's two-toed sloth. two-toed sloths there were almost exclusively nocturnal, even though in other locations they are known to be active during day. The authors attributed this in part to competition with the brown-throated sloth. They often move slowly through the canopy for about eight hours each night, and spend much of the day sleeping in tangles of lianas. They move only very slowly, typically at around 0.14 (m/s), although they can move up to 50% faster when excited. They are solitary in the wild, and, aside from mothers with young, it is unusual for two to be found in a tree at.

Hoffmann's two-toed sloth. sloth lying on the ground and pulling themselves forward, they have actually been seen walking on their palms and soles.Sloths descend about once every eight days to defecate on the ground. The reason and mechanism behind this behavior have long been debated among scientists. There are at least five hypotheses: 1) fertilize trees when feces are deposited at the base of the tree; 2) cover feces and avoid predation; 3) chemical communication between individuals; 4) pick up trace nutrients in their claws, that are then ingested and 5) favor a mutualistic relationship with populations of fur moths. More recently, a.

Hoffmann's two-toed sloth. begin to take solid food at 15 to 27 days, and are fully weaned by 9 weeks. Although relatively quiet as adults, young sloths make loud bleating alarm calls if separated from their mothers.In captivity, the two-toed sloth was seen giving birth by hanging upside down and attempting to pull the infant between her hind limbs and onto her abdomen. Other sloths were seen hanging under the mother and infant to protect the infant from falling.Hoffmann's two-toed sloths reach sexual maturity at two to four years of age and have been reported to live up to 43 years in captivity.##.

Hoffmann's two-toed sloth. give birth in the dry seasons. The female carries the baby for typically 11.5 months. When the females are ready to mate, they let out a loud scream which attracts the males; if numerous males are ready to mate, they fight each other; after done mating, the male will usually leave. The female is the one who solely takes care of the baby sloth until they are independent and don’t need the mother anymore. For the first 6–9 months of birth, mother sloth is carrying the baby and nurturing it until they are capable of being on their own. Sloths.


Question: What is this building named after?

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Marienstiftskirche, Lich. Falkenstein, as a collegiate church (German: "Kollegiatstift") with ten canons, which was intended to educate young men for the priesthood. Three neighbouring churches were incorporated along with Lich. A large amount of property of the surrounding churches and districts was donated for the maintenance of the college. In the year of the college's foundation, a new, stone church was begun which was roughly two-thirds the size of the present building. The hall church, with a long choir and rood screen was consecrated to Mary on 7 May 1320. It survived less than two hundred years. In 1510 it was entirely.

Marienstiftskirche, Lich. of the archdiaconate. The collegiate church possessed four altars, dedicated to Our Lady, the Holy Trinity, St John, and St Anne. As a result of the Reformation, the collegiate church was converted to Lutheranism in 1555. The first Lutheran priest was Heinrich Götz who served from 1564 to 1567. The church was renovated in 1594, as recorded by an inscription in a medallion above the choir, "One thousand five hundred four and Ninety years after Christ's birth, This church building's Renovation was With god's help brought to completion entirely in the same Year that saw The Groundstones Beginning to be.

Marienstiftskirche, Lich. pillars of the choir also show signs of the planned rib vaulting. Under the altar there is a crypt, containing the bodily remains of the counts and their family.The nave is lit by two levels of windows with pointed arches in the side galleries, which are separated by a cornice. The choir has five large windows with pointed arches. In the northeastern choir window are the remains of the old stained glass windows, which include a depiction of Mary with Child in the aureole from the previous church and one of Elizabeth of Hungary from the date of the present.


Question: What is the conservation status of this animal? (The status is assigned by the international union for conservation of nature. Choose one among Endangered,Least Concern,Critically Endangered,extinct species,extinct in the wild,Vulnerable,Near Threatened,Data Deficient).

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Eastern chimpanzee. as Endangered. Although the common chimpanzee is the most abundant and widespread of the non-human great apes, recent declines in East Africa are expected to continue due to hunting and loss of habitat. Because chimpanzees and humans are physiologically very similar, chimpanzees succumb to many diseases that afflict humans. If not properly managed, research and tourism also presents a risk of disease transmission between humans and chimpanzees. This subspecies has been extensively studied by Dr. Jane Goodall at Gombe Stream National Park.## Physical description.Adult chimpanzees in the wild weigh between 40 and 65 (kg). Males can measure up to 145.


Question: What country does this building belong to?

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Església de Sant Miquel d'Engolasters. Església de Sant Miquel d'Engolasters is a church located in Engolasters, Escaldes-Engordany Parish, Andorra. It is a heritage property registered in the Cultural Heritage of Andorra. It was built originally in the 11-12th century.


Question: What is this plant named after?

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Nepenthes. Nepenthes () is a genus of carnivorous plants, also known as tropical pitcher plants, or monkey cups, in the monotypic family Nepenthaceae. The genus includes about 170 species, and numerous natural and many cultivated hybrids. They are mostly liana-forming plants of the Old World tropics, ranging from South China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines; westward to Madagascar (two species) and the Seychelles (one); southward to Australia (four) and New Caledonia (one); and northward to India (one) and Sri Lanka (one). The greatest diversity occurs on Borneo, Sumatra, and the Philippines, with many endemic species. Many are plants of hot, humid,.

Nepenthes. lowland areas, but the majority are tropical montane plants, receiving warm days but cool to cold, humid nights year round. A few are considered tropical alpine, with cool days and nights near freezing. The name "monkey cups" refers to the fact that monkeys were once thought to drink rainwater from the pitchers. ## Description."Nepenthes" species usually consist of a shallow root system and a prostrate or climbing stem, often several metres long and up to 15 (m) or more, and usually 1 (cm) or less in diameter, although this may be thicker in a few species (e.g. "N. bicalcarata"). From.

Nepenthes. the stems arise alternate, sword-shaped leaves with entire leaf margins. An extension of the midrib (the tendril), which in some species aids in climbing, protrudes from the tip of the leaf; at the end of the tendril the pitcher forms. The pitcher starts as a small bud and gradually expands to form a globe- or tube-shaped trap. The shapes can evoke a champagne flute or a misused condom.The trap contains a fluid of the plant's own production, which may be watery or more viscous, and is used to drown the prey. This fluid contains viscoelastic biopolymers that may be crucial.

Nepenthes. to the retention of insects within the traps of many species. The viscoelastic fluid in pitchers is especially effective in the retention of winged insects. The trapping efficiency of this fluid remains high, even when significantly diluted by water, as inevitably happens in wet conditions.The lower part of the trap contains glands which absorb nutrients from captured prey. Along the upper inside part of the trap is a slick, waxy coating which makes the escape of its prey nearly impossible. Surrounding the entrance to the trap is a structure called the peristome (the "lip"), which is slippery and often quite.

Nepenthes. colorful, attracting prey, but offering an unsure footing. The prey-capture effectiveness of the peristome is further enhanced in moist environments, where condensation may cause a thin water film to form on the surface of the peristome. When wet, the slippery surface of the peristome causes insects to ‘aquaplane’, or slip and fall, into the pitcher. Above the peristome is a lid (the operculum); in many species, this keeps rain from diluting the fluid within the pitcher, the underside of which may contain nectar glands which attract prey."Nepenthes" species usually produce two types of pitchers, known as leaf dimorphism. Appearing near.

Nepenthes. the base of the plant are the large, lower traps, which typically sit on the ground. The upper or aerial pitchers are usually smaller, coloured differently, and possess different features from the lower pitchers. These upper pitchers usually form as the plant reaches maturity and the plant grows taller. To keep the plant steady, the upper pitchers often form a loop in the tendril, allowing it to wrap around nearby support. In some species (e.g. "N. rafflesiana"), different prey may be attracted by the two types of pitchers. This varied morphology also often makes identification of species difficult.Prey usually consists.

Nepenthes. of insects, but the largest species (e.g. "N. rajah" and "N. rafflesiana") may occasionally catch small vertebrates, such as rats and lizards. Records of cultivated plants trapping small birds have been made. Flowers occur in racemes or more rarely in panicles with male and female flowers on separate plants. Three species have symbiotic relationships with tree shrews, which eat the nectar produced by the plant and defecate into the pitchers, providing valuable nutrients."Nepenthes" are insect-pollinated, the primary agents being flies (including blow flies, midges, and mosquitoes), moths, wasps, and butterflies. Their smells can range from sweet to musty or fungus-like.

Nepenthes. Seed is typically produced in a four-sided capsule which may contain 50–500 wind-distributed seeds, consisting of a central embryo and two wings, one on either side (though "N. pervillei" differs).The genus is cytologically diploid, with all studied species having a chromosome number of "2n"=80. This high number is thought to reflect paleopolyploidy (likely 8x or 16x).## Taxonomy.About 170 species of "Nepenthes" are currently recognised as valid. This number is increasing, with several new species being described each year.## Etymology.The genus name "Nepenthes" was first published in 1737 in Carl Linnaeus's "Hortus Cliffortianus". It references a passage in Homer's "Odyssey", in.

Nepenthes. which the potion "Nepenthes pharmakon" is given to Helen by an Egyptian queen. "Nepenthe" literally means "without grief" ("ne" = not, "penthos" = grief) and, in Greek mythology, is a drug that quells all sorrows with forgetfulness. Linnaeus explained:If this is not Helen's "Nepenthes", it certainly will be for all botanists. What botanist would not be filled with admiration if, after a long journey, he should find this wonderful plant. In his astonishment past ills would be forgotten when beholding this admirable work of the Creator! [translated from Latin by Harry Veitch]The plant Linnaeus described was "N. distillatoria", called" bāndurā.

Nepenthes. (බාඳුරා), a species from Sri Lanka."Nepenthes" was formally published as a generic name in 1753 in Linnaeus's famous "Species Plantarum", which established botanical nomenclature as it exists today. "Nepenthes distillatoria" is the type species of the genus.The name "monkey cups" was discussed in the May 1964 issue of "National Geographic", in which Paul A. Zahl wrote:The carriers called them "monkey cups," a name I had heard elsewhere in reference to "Nepenthes", but the implication that monkeys drink the pitcher fluid seemed farfetched. I later proved it true. In Sarawak, I found an orangutan that had been raised as a pet.

Nepenthes. and later freed. As I approached it gingerly in the forest, I offered it a half-full pitcher. To my surprise, the ape accepted it, and with the finesse of a lady at tea, executed a delicate bottoms-up.The plants are often called "kantong semar" (Semar's pocket) in Indonesia and "sako ni Hudas" (Judas' money bag) in the Philippines.## Evolution and phylogeny.An absence of evidence of intermediate species, fossil or living (i.e. a missing link), does not allow forming a phylogenetical timeline for the development of the distinctive traits of modern "Nepenthes", which include its relatively rare strict dioecy and carnivorous pitchers.

Nepenthes. Although "Nepenthes" is distantly related to several modern genera, among these, even the carnivorous relatives [the sundews ("Drosera"), Venus flytrap ("Dionea muscipula"), waterwheel plant ("Aldrovanda"), and dewy pine ("Drosophyllum")], all lack those traits. Among known "Nepenthes", no protomodern characteristics or large variations are found, which suggests that all extant species radiated from a single close ancestor bearing all the modern traits. Phylogenetic comparisons of the chloroplast "matK "gene sequences between "Nepenthes" species and with related species support this conclusion, long genetic distance between "Nepenthes" and others, and abruptly diverging "pom-pom" grouping of the "Nepenthes" species .Fossilized pollen of "Nepenthes"-like plants.

Nepenthes. living on the northern Tethys Sea from 65 to 35 million years ago indicates that then-warmer Europe may have been where the proto-"Nepenthes" developed, and then escaped to Asia and India as Africa collided with Europe and the ensuing climate change wiped out the ancestral species in the original habitat. About 20 million years ago, Borneo, Sumatra, and Sulawesi and possibly even the Philippines were connected to mainland Asia, providing a bridge for the colonization of most sites of "Nepenthes" species radiation. The extensive landbridges in the area 20,000 years ago during the ice age would have provided access to.

Nepenthes. the remaining sites of "Nepenthes" populations in Oceania. The main complication with this hypothesis is the presence of "Nepenthes" on the distant islands of Seychelles and Madagascar. The seeds were thought to have been transferred by seabirds and shorebirds, which rest during their migrations in swampy habitats and may have inadvertently picked up the seeds. This hypothesis is possibly reinforced by the success of the lowland swamp-dwelling "N. distillatoria" in colonizing so many locations.## Distribution and habitat.The genus "Nepenthes" is mostly found within the Malay Archipelago, with the greatest biodiversity found on Borneo, Sumatra, and the Philippines, especially in the.

Nepenthes. Borneo montane rain forests. The full range of the genus includes Madagascar ("N. madagascariensis" and "N. masoalensis"), the Seychelles ("N. pervillei"), Sri Lanka ("N. distillatoria"), and India ("N. khasiana") in the west to Australia ("N. mirabilis", "N. rowanae", and "N. tenax") and New Caledonia ("N. vieillardii") in the southeast. Most species are restricted to very small ranges, including some only found on individual mountains. These limited distributions and the inaccessibility of the regions often means some species go decades without being rediscovered in the wild (e.g. "N. deaniana", which was rediscovered 100 years after its initial discovery). About 10 species.

Nepenthes. have population distributions larger than a single island or group of smaller islands. "Nepenthes mirabilis" has the distinction of being the most widely distributed species in the genus, ranging from Indochina and throughout the Malay Archipelago to Australia.Because of the nature of the habitats that "Nepenthes" species occupy, they are often graded as either lowland or highland species, depending on their altitude above sea level, with 1200 (m) the rough delineation between lowland and highland. Species growing at lower altitudes require continuously warm climates with little difference between day and night temperatures, whereas highland species thrive when they receive warm.

Nepenthes. days and much cooler nights. "Nepenthes lamii" grows at a higher altitude than any other in the genus, up to 3520 (m).Most "Nepenthes" species grow in environments that provide high humidity and precipitation and moderate to high light levels. A few species, including "N. ampullaria", prefer the dense, shaded forests, but most other species thrive on the margins of tree/shrub communities or clearings. Some species (e.g. "N. mirabilis") have been found growing in clear-cut forest areas, roadsides, and disturbed fields. Other species have adapted to growing in savanna-like grass communities. The soils in which "Nepenthes" species grow are usually acidic.

Nepenthes. and low in nutrients, being composed of peat, white sand, sandstone, or volcanic soils. Exceptions to these generalities include species that thrive in soils with high heavy metal content (e.g. "N. rajah"), on sandy beaches in the sea spray zone (e.g. "N. albomarginata"). Other species grow on inselbergs and as lithophytes, while others, such as "N. inermis", can grow as epiphytes with no soil contact.## Ecological relationships.The most obvious interaction between "Nepenthes" species and their environments, including other organisms, is that of predator and prey. "Nepenthes" species certainly attract and kill their prey, albeit passively, through active production of attractive.

Nepenthes. colours, sugary nectar, and even sweet scents. From this relationship, the plants primarily gain nitrogen and phosphorus to supplement their nutrient requirements for growth, given these soil nutrients are typically lacking. The most frequent prey is an abundant and diverse group of arthropods, with ants and other insects topping the menu. Other arthropods found frequently include spiders, scorpions, and centipedes, while snails and frogs are more unusual, but not unheard of. The most uncommon prey for "Nepenthes" species includes rats found in "N. rajah". The composition of prey captured depends on many factors, including location, but can incorporate hundreds of.

Nepenthes. individual insects and many different species. While many "Nepenthes" species are generalists in what they capture, at least one, "N. albomarginata", has specialised and almost exclusively traps termites and produces nearly no nectar. "Nepenthes albomarginata" gains its name from the ring of white trichomes directly beneath the peristome. These trichomes—or "hairs"—are palatable to termites and will attract them to the pitcher. In the course of collecting the edible trichomes, hundreds or thousands of termites will fall into the pitcher.## Symbioses."N. bicalcarata" provides space in the hollow tendrils of its upper pitchers for the carpenter ant "Camponotus schmitzi" to build nests.

Nepenthes. The ants take larger prey from the pitchers, which may benefit "N. bicalcarata" by reducing the amount of putrefaction of collected organic matter that could harm the natural community of infaunal species that aid the plant's digestion."N. lowii" has also formed a dependent relationship, but with vertebrates instead of insects. The pitchers of "N. lowii" provide a sugary exudate reward on the reflexed pitcher lid (operculum) and a perch for tree shrew species, which have been found eating the exudate and defecating into the pitcher. A 2009 study, which coined the term "tree shrew lavatories", determined between 57 and 100%.

Nepenthes. of the plant's foliar nitrogen uptake comes from the faeces of tree shrews. Another study showed the shape and size of the pitcher orifice of "N. lowii" exactly match the dimensions of a typical tree shrew ("Tupaia montana"). A similar adaptation was found in "N. macrophylla", "N. rajah", "N. ampullaria", and is also likely to be present in "N. ephippiata".Similarly, "N. hemsleyana", which is native to Borneo, has a symbiotic partnership with Hardwicke's woolly bat. During the day, a bat may roost above the digestive fluid inside the pitcher. While a bat is inside, it may defaecate, and the plant.

Nepenthes. can get nitrogen from the droppings.## Infauna.Organisms that spend at least part of their lives within the pitchers of "Nepenthes" species are often called "Nepenthes" infauna. The most common infaunal species, often representing the top trophic level of the infaunal ecosystem, are many species of mosquito larvae. Other infaunal species include fly and midge larvae, spiders, mites, ants, and even a species of crab ("Geosesarma malayanum"). Many of these species specialise to one pitcher plant species and are found nowhere else. These specialists are called nepenthebionts. Others, often associated with but not dependent on "Nepenthes" species, are called nepenthophiles. Nepenthexenes,.

Nepenthes. on the other hand, are rarely found in the pitchers, but will often appear when putrefaction approaches a certain threshold, attracting fly larvae that would normally not be found in the pitcher infaunal community. The complex ecological relationship between pitcher plants and infauna is not yet fully understood, but the relationship may be mutualistic: the infauna is given shelter, food, or protection, and the plant that harbours the infauna receives expedited breakdown of captured prey, increasing the rate of digestion and keeping harmful bacterial populations repressed.## Antimicrobial properties."Nepenthes" digestive fluids are sterile before pitchers open and contain secondary metabolites and.

Nepenthes. proteins that act as bactericides and fungicides after the pitcher opens. While the digestive fluid is being produced, the pitcher is not yet open, so there is no chance of microbial contamination. During pitcher development, at least 29 digestive proteins including proteases, chitinases, pathogenesis-related proteins and thaumatin-like proteins are produced in the pitcher fluid. In addition to breaking down prey, these can act as antimicrobial agents. When the pitchers open, the fluid is exposed to bacteria, fungal spores, insects and rain. Often pitchers have a lid that covers the trap, excepting a few (e.g. "N. lowii", "N. attenboroughii" and "N.

Nepenthes. jamban"), preventing rain water from entering. The lid inhibits rainwater from diluting the digestive fluid. Once the bacteria and fungi enter the fluid, secondary metabolites are produced in addition to antimicrobial proteins. Naphthoquinones, a class of secondary metabolite, are commonly produced, and these either kill or inhibit the growth and reproduction of bacteria and fungi. This adaptation could have evolved since "Nepenthes" plants that could produce secondary metabolites and antimicrobial proteins to kill bacteria and fungi were most likely more fit. Plants that produced antimicrobial compounds could prevent loss of valuable nutrients gained from insects within the pitcher. Since "Nepenthes.

Nepenthes. cannot digest certain bacteria and fungi, the bactericides and fungicides allow plants to maximize nutrient uptake.## Botanical history.The earliest known record of "Nepenthes" dates back to the 17th century. In 1658, French colonial governor Étienne de Flacourt published a description of a pitcher plant in his seminal work "Histoire de la Grande Isle de Madagascar". It reads:It is a plant growing about 3 feet high which carries at the end of its leaves, which are 7 inches long, a hollow flower or fruit resembling a small vase, with its own lid, a wonderful sight. There are red ones and yellow.

Nepenthes. ones, the yellow being the biggest. The inhabitants of this country are reluctant to pick the flowers, saying that if somebody does pick them in passing, it will not fail to rain that day. As to that, I and all the other Frenchmen did pick them, but it did not rain. After rain these flowers are full of water, each one containing a good half-glass. [translated from French in "Pitcher-Plants of Borneo"]Flacourt called the plant "Amramatico", after a local name. More than a century later, this species was formally described as "N. madagascariensis".The second species to be described was "N.

Nepenthes. distillatoria", the Sri Lankan endemic. In 1677, Danish physician Thomas Bartholin made brief mention of it under the name "Miranda herba", Latin for "marvellous herb". Three years later, Dutch merchant Jacob Breyne referred to this species as "Bandura zingalensium", after a local name for the plant. "Bandura" subsequently became the most commonly used name for the tropical pitcher plants, until Linnaeus coined "Nepenthes" in 1737."Nepenthes distillatoria" was again described in 1683, this time by Swedish physician and naturalist Herman Niklas Grim. Grim called it "Planta mirabilis destillatoria" or the "miraculous distilling plant", and was the first to clearly illustrate a.

Nepenthes. tropical pitcher plant. Three years later, in 1686, English naturalist John Ray quoted Grim as saying:The root draws up moisture from the earth which with the help of the sun's rays rises up into the plant itself and then flows down through the stems and nerves of the leaves into the natural utensil to be stored there until used for human needs. [translated from Latin in "Pitcher-Plants of Borneo"]One of the earliest illustrations of "Nepenthes" appears in Leonard Plukenet's "Almagestum Botanicum" of 1696. The plant, called "Utricaria vegetabilis zeylanensium", is undoubtedly "N. distillatoria".Around the same time, German botanist Georg Eberhard.

Nepenthes. Rumphius discovered two new "Nepenthes" species in the Malay Archipelago. Rumphius illustrated the first one, now considered synonymous with "N. mirabilis", and gave it the name "Cantharifera", meaning "tankard-bearer". The second, referred to as "Cantharifera alba", is thought to have been "N. maxima". Rumphius described the plants in his most famous work, the six-volume "Herbarium Amboinense", a catalogue of the flora of Ambon Island. However, it would not be published until many years after his death.After going blind in 1670, when the manuscript was only partially complete, Rumphius continued work on "Herbarium Amboinensis" with the help of clerks and artists.

Nepenthes. In 1687, with the project nearing completion, at least half of the illustrations were lost in a fire. Persevering, Rumphius and his helpers first completed the book in 1690. However, two years later, the ship carrying the manuscript to the Netherlands was attacked and sunk by the French, forcing them to start over from a copy that had fortunately been retained by Governor-General Johannes Camphuijs. The "Herbarium Amboinensis" finally arrived in the Netherlands in 1696. Even then, the first volume did not appear until 1741, 39 years after Rumphius's death. By this time, Linnaeus's name "Nepenthes" had become established."Nepenthes distillatoria.

Nepenthes. was again illustrated in Johannes Burmann's "Thesaurus Zeylanicus" of 1737. The drawing depicts the end of a flowering stem with pitchers. Burmann refers to the plant as "Bandura zeylanica".The next mention of tropical pitcher plants was made in 1790, when Portuguese priest João de Loureiro described "Phyllamphora mirabilis", or the "marvellous urn-shaped leaf", from Vietnam. Despite living in the country for around 35 years, it seems unlikely that Loureiro observed living plants of this species, as he stated the lid is a moving part, actively opening and closing. In his most celebrated work, "Flora Cochinchinensis", he writes:[...] (the) leaf-tip ends.

Nepenthes. in a long hanging tendril, twisted spirally in the middle, from which hangs a sort of vase, oblong, pot-bellied, with a smooth lip with a projecting margin and a lid affixed to one side, which of its own nature freely opens and closes in order to receive the dew and store it. A marvellous work of the Lord! [translated from French in "Pitcher-Plants of Borneo"]"Phyllamphora mirabilis" was eventually transferred to the genus "Nepenthes" by Rafarin in 1869. As such, "P. mirabilis" is the basionym of this most cosmopolitan of tropical pitcher plant species.Loureiro's description of a moving lid was repeated.

Nepenthes. by Jean Louis Marie Poiret in 1797. Poiret described two of the four "Nepenthes" species known at the time: "N. madagascariensis" and "N. distillatoria". He gave the former its current name and called the latter "Nepente de l'Inde", or simply ""Nepenthes" of India", although this species is absent from the mainland. In Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's "Encyclopédie Méthodique Botanique", he included the following account:This urn is hollow, as I have just said, usually full of soft, clear water, and then closed. It opens during the day and more than half the liquid disappears, but this loss is repaired during the night, and.

Nepenthes. the next day the urn is full again and closed by its lid. This is its sustenance, and enough for more than one day because it is always about half-full at the approach of night. [translated from French in "Pitcher-Plants of Borneo"]With the discovery of new species and Sir Joseph Banks' original introduction of specimens to Europe in 1789, interest in "Nepenthes" grew throughout the 19th century, culminating in what has been called the "Golden Age of "Nepenthes"" in the 1880s. However, the popularity of the plants dwindled in the early 20th century, before all but disappearing by World War.

Nepenthes. II. This is evidenced by the fact that no new species were described between 1940 and 1966. The revival of global interest in the cultivation and study of "Nepenthes" is credited to Japanese botanist Shigeo Kurata, whose work in the 1960s and 1970s did much to bring attention to these plants.## Cultivation."Nepenthes" may be cultivated in greenhouses. Easier species include "N. alata", "N. ventricosa", "N. khasiana", and "N. sanguinea". These four species are highlanders ("N. alata" has both lowland and highland forms), some easy lowlander species are "N. rafflesiana", "N. bicalcarata", "N. mirabilis", and "N. hirsuta".Highland forms are those species.

Nepenthes. that grow in habitats generally higher in elevation, and thus exposed to cooler evening temperatures. Lowland forms are those species growing nearer to sea level. Both forms respond best to rainwater (but some tap water works as long as it is flushed monthly with rainwater or water low in dissolved solid and chemicals), bright light (though some species can grow in full sun), a well-drained medium, good air circulation and relatively high humidity, although easier species such as "N. alata" can adapt to lower humidity environments. Highland species must have night-time cooling to thrive in the long term. Chemical fertilisers.

Nepenthes. are best used at low strength. Occasional feeding with frozen (thawed before use) crickets may be beneficial. Terrarium culture of smaller plants, such as "N. bellii", "N." × "trichocarpa" and "N. ampullaria", is possible, but most plants will get too large over time.Plants can be propagated by seed, cuttings, and tissue culture. Seeds are usually sown on damp chopped "Sphagnum" moss, or on sterile plant tissue culture media once they have been properly disinfected. The seeds generally become nonviable soon after harvesting, so seed are not usually the preferred method of propagation. A 1:1 mixture of orchid medium with moss.

Nepenthes. or perlite has been used for germination and culture. Seed may take two months to germinate, and two years or more to yield mature plants. Cuttings may be rooted in damp "Sphagnum" moss in a plastic bag or tank with high humidity and moderate light. They can begin to root in one to two months and start to form pitchers in about six months. Tissue culture is now used commercially and helps reduce collection of wild plants, as well as making many rare species available to hobbyists at reasonable prices. "Nepenthes" species are considered threatened or endangered plants and all.

Nepenthes. of them are listed in CITES Appendix II, with the exception of "N. rajah" and "N. khasiana" which are listed in CITES Appendix I. The CITES listing means all international trade (including in parts and derivatives) is controlled by the CITES permitting system, with wild sourced specimens of Appendix I species prohibited from commercial international trade.## Hybrids and cultivars.There are many hybrid "Nepenthes" and numerous named cultivars. Some of the more well-known, artificially produced hybrids and cultivars include:"N." × "coccinea" (("N. rafflesiana" × "N. ampullaria") × "N. mirabilis")"N." × "ventrata" ("N. ventricosa" × "N. alata")"N." × 'Bloody Mary' ("N. ventricosa.

Nepenthes. × "N. ampullaria")"N." 'D'amato' ("N. lowii" × "N. ventricosa")"N." × "mixta" ("N. northiana" × "N. maxima")"N." 'Syurga' ("N. ventricosa" × "N. northiana")"N." 'Menarik' ("N. rafflesiana" × "N. veitchii")"N." 'Emmarene' ("N. khasiana" × "N. ventricosa")"N." 'Judith Finn' ("N. spathulata" × "N. veitchii") "Nepenthes" classification "Nepenthes" infauna List of "Nepenthes" endophyte species Danser's Monograph on "Nepenthes" (covers species from Malaysia, Indonesia and New Guinea, but not elsewhere) Nepenthaceae in: Watson, L., and M. J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The Families of Flowering Plants. Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, Information Retrieval. Beaver, R.A. 1983. The communities living in "Nepenthes" pitcher plants: fauna and food webs. In:.

Nepenthes. J.H. Frank & L.P. Lounibos (eds.) "Phytotelmata: Plants as Hosts for Aquatic Insect Communities". Plexus Publishing, New Jersey. pp. 129–159. Boulay, J. 1997. Les "Nepenthes". "Dionée" 38. "Nepenthes" - the Monkey Cups from the Botanical Society of America "Nepenthes": The Interactive Guide at CarnivorousPlants.co.uk "Nepenthes" photographs at the Carnivorous Plant Photo Finder A video about "Nepenthes rajah" from "The Private Life of Plants" The Carnivorous Plant FAQ: "Nepenthes" by Barry Rice Evolution -- "Nepenthes" Phylogeny from the International Carnivorous Plant Society Inner World of "Nepenthes" from the John Innes Centre.


Question: What country does this building belong to?

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Meycauayan Church. The Saint Francis of Assisi Parish Church, commonly known as the Meycauayan Church or Simbahan sa Bayan, is a Roman Catholic church located in Meycauayan, Philippines. It is one of the oldest parishes in Bulacan which even predates the Malolos Cathedral established in 1580 and the Barasoain Church established in 1859. It is also the province's largest parish with an estimated population of about 80,000 parishioners. The church is the seat of the vicariate of St. Francis of Assisi in the Diocese of Malolos.## History.## Parish foundation.The parish was founded in 1578 by Fr. Juan de Plasencia and Fr. Diego.

Meycauayan Church. de Oropeza, the first batch of Franciscan priests to reach the Philippines in 1577. They built a small church made of nipa thatch and bamboo in a small area called "Sitio Torril", which is now part of Brgy. Bahay Pare in Meycauayan. The church was blown by a typhoon in 1588.The Franciscans also brought a wooden missionary cross when they arrived in Meycauayan, similar to Magellan's Cross. The cross was later found to be in the possession of a resident of Brgy. Bahay Pare. [The cross, now known as The Cross of Sitio Torril, is probably the oldest known religious.

Meycauayan Church. with hewn-stones by Fray Jose Cantos.In 1800, the bell tower was constructed by order of Fr. Francisco Gascueña, OFM. The said tower is one of the two of its kind in the Philippines with a large arch bridge connecting the church and the tower. The tower belfry housed five bells named "Maria Concepcion", the biggest, which was made by order of Fr. Antonio de Guadalajara in 1878; the "San Francisco", dedicated to the town's patron saint made by the order of Fr. Juan Fernandez in 1881; "San Jose", the smallest made by the order of Fr. Francisco Gascuena; and two.

Meycauayan Church. others.As a result of a furious typhoon, the entire town got flooded in 1802, causing much damages that the value of a sack of rice reached four pesos with four "reales" the following year. After this crisis, Fr. Gascueña managed to construct the narthex (an arch made of stone sustaining the choir) in 1804. Through the span of thirty-one years, Fr. Gascueña has showed all the kind virtues and charity to the poor, to whom he never denied alms whether they may be their parishioner or from other towns. He died in Meycauayan on November 18, 1831 and was buried.

Meycauayan Church. was constructed in 1880. The church-convent complex was seriously damaged by a strong typhoon in 1882.## Secularization.The first native clergyman to be assigned as parish priest in Meycauayan was Fr. Esteban Daez, a native of Polo, Obando, Bulacan. He was a coadjutor priest in 1892 before he became the "cura parroco interino" (interim parish priest) from 1898 to 1900.## American occupation.Both the Meycauayan Church and convent were occupied and became the temporary headquarters of the American soldiers in May 1899 after it was captured from the Filipinos revolutionaries during the Philippine–American War. Some of the church possessions were believed destroyed.

Meycauayan Church. or looted during their stay in the church complex. Following its return to the Catholic Church in 1903, a claim was filed by the Catholic Church in the Philippines to be paid by the United States of America regarding the church properties occupied, damaged or otherwise destroyed by American troops from 1899 to 1903 that amounted to 2,200 pesos with a monthly rental of 50 pesos for the convent-turned-to-headquarters.## Post War.During World War II, the church survived destruction unlike the churches in Manila. In 1946, then future President Diosdado Macapagal and former Dr. Evangelina Macaraeg were wed at the church.

Meycauayan Church. and his wife traveled to Omaha to formally receive the artifact from Sister Judith Frikker, President of the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community. Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario turned over the Philippine–American War artifact to Director Jeremy Barns of the National Museum of the Philippines on March 9, 2012. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Malolos received the bells on August 6, 2012 and became part of the Diocesan Museum.Huerta, Fr. Felix (1865). "Estado geográfico, topográfico, estadístico, histórico-religioso de la santa y apostólica provincia de S. Gregorio Magno". Imprenta de N. Sanchez, Binondo, Manila."N. S. P. SAN FRANCISCO DE.


Question: What is the hymenium type of this plant?

Instruction: Determine the Wikipedia snippet that matches the question of this image.

Cerioporus squamosus. can be yellow to brown and has "squamules" or scales on its upper side. On the underside one can see the pores that are characteristic of the genus "Cerioporus"; they are made up of tubes packed together closely. The tubes are between 1 and 12 (mm) long. The stalk is thick and short, up to 5 (cm) long. The fruit body will produce a white spore print if laid onto a sheet of paper. The spores are 11-15 x 4-5 µm and are long and smooth ellipsoids. They can be found alone, in clusters of two or three, or forming.


Question: How many days does the gestation of this animal take?

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Walrus. Norse word ('horse'). For example, the Old Norse word means 'horse-whale' and is thought to have been passed in an inverted form to both Dutch and the dialects of northern Germany as and . An alternative theory is that it comes from the Dutch words 'shore' and 'giant'.The species name "rosmarus" is Scandinavian. The Norwegian manuscript "Konungs skuggsjá", thought to date from around AD 1240, refers to the walrus as in Iceland and in Greenland (walruses were by now extinct in Iceland and Norway, while the word evolved in Greenland). Several place names in Iceland, Greenland and Norway may originate.

Walrus. Tusks and dentition.While this was not true of all extinct walruses, the most prominent feature of the living species is its long tusks. These are elongated canines, which are present in both male and female walruses and can reach a length of 1 m (3 ft 3 in) and weigh up to 5.4 kg (12 lb). Tusks are slightly longer and thicker among males, which use them for fighting, dominance and display; the strongest males with the largest tusks typically dominate social groups. Tusks are also used to form and maintain holes in the ice and aid the walrus in.

Walrus. Vibrissae (whiskers).Surrounding the tusks is a broad mat of stiff bristles ("mystacial vibrissae"), giving the walrus a characteristic whiskered appearance. There can be 400 to 700 vibrissae in 13 to 15 rows reaching 30 cm (12 in) in length, though in the wild they are often worn to much shorter lengths due to constant use in foraging. The vibrissae are attached to muscles and are supplied with blood and nerves, making them highly sensitive organs capable of differentiating shapes 3 (mm) thick and 2 (mm) wide.## Skin.Aside from the vibrissae, the walrus is sparsely covered with fur and appears bald.

Walrus. walrus numbers have again declined. Early aerial censuses of Pacific walrus conducted at five-year intervals between 1975 and 1985 estimated populations of above 220,000 in each of the three surveys.In 2006, the population of the Pacific walrus was estimated to be around 129,000 on the basis of an aerial census combined with satellite tracking. There were roughly 200,000 Pacific walruses in 1990.The much smaller population of Atlantic walruses ranges from the Canadian Arctic, across Greenland, Svalbard, and the western part of Arctic Russia. There are eight hypothetical subpopulations of Atlantic walruses, based largely on their geographical distribution and movements: five.

Walrus. A genetically distinct population existed in Iceland that was wiped out after Norse settlement around 1213–1330 AD.The isolated population of Laptev Sea walruses is confined year-round to the central and western regions of the Laptev Sea, the eastmost regions of the Kara Sea, and the westmost regions of the East Siberian Sea. The current population of these walruses has been estimated to be between 5,000 and 10,000.Even though walruses can dive to depths beyond 500 meters, they spend most of their time in shallow waters (and the nearby ice floes) hunting for food.In March 2021, a single walrus, nicknamed Wally.

Walrus. while giving birth and aggregating in the reproductive period. Thinner pack ice over the Bering Sea has reduced the amount of resting habitat near optimal feeding grounds. This more widely separates lactating females from their calves, increasing nutritional stress for the young and lower reproductive rates. Reduced coastal sea ice has also been implicated in the increase of stampeding deaths crowding the shorelines of the Chukchi Sea between eastern Russia and western Alaska. Analysis of trends in ice cover published in 2012 indicate that Pacific walrus populations are likely to continue to decline for the foreseeable future, and shift further.

Walrus. the Inuit goddess Sedna. Both in Chukotka and Alaska, the aurora borealis is believed to be a special world inhabited by those who died by violence, the changing rays representing deceased souls playing ball with a walrus head.Most of the distinctive 12th-century Lewis Chessmen from northern Europe are carved from walrus ivory, though a few have been found to be made of whales' teeth.## Literature.Because of its distinctive appearance, great bulk, and immediately recognizable whiskers and tusks, the walrus also appears in the popular cultures of peoples with little direct experience with the animal, particularly in English children's literature. Perhaps.


Question: What is the closest parent taxonomy of this plant?

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Lysimachia latifolia. Lysimachia latifolia, sometimes called Trientalis latifolia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. It is known as starflower, chickweed-wintergreen, or Pacific starflower.## Description.It is a low-growing, creeping perennial reaching (5 to 30 (cm)).The roots are tuberous, creeping rhizomes. The stems are erect, 10 – 20 (cm) high. It has 5 to 7 whorled, lanceolate, entire leaves distributed levelly in a single group.The flowers are white or pink flowers are borne in April or May. Calyx (the collective term for sepals) is 5- to 9-parted and persistent. Corolla (the collective term for petals) is also 5- to 9-parted,.

Lysimachia latifolia. rotate, with a very short tube and elliptic-lanceolate segments. Stamens occur in the same number as the corolla lobes (5-9) and are positioned opposite them. 1-3 Peduncles, 1-flowered, filiform, and ebracteate.The ovary is one-celled. The style (gynoecium) is filiform.## Habitat.Occurs on moist, shaded slopes in deep, light soil rich in organic matter, particularly leaf mould.Canada: Occurs in British Columbia, Alberta, and Yukon.United States of America: Occurs throughout Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and northern California.## Etymology.The former genus name "Trientalis" is derived from the Latin ('a third'), and is an allusion to the height of the plant, which is one third of.

Lysimachia latifolia. a foot, or 4 (in) high. "Latifolia" is derived from the Latin words ('broad or wide') and ('leaves') and means approximately 'broad-leaved'.The alternative name "Indian potato" refers to a small subterranean swelling at the stem's base, which is not listed as being edible by modern sources. Jepson Manual Online "Trientalis latifolia" Hook.


Question: How many day is the egg incubation period of this bird?

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Least grebe. The least grebe ("Tachybaptus dominicus"), an aquatic bird, is the smallest member of the grebe family. It occurs in the New World from the southwestern United States and Mexico to Argentina, and also on Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles.## Description.The least grebe ranges in length from 21 – 27 (cm) (depending on the subspecies) and in weight from 112 – 180 (g). Weights are variable based on region and subspecies, being smaller in Panama, where males weighed a mean of 129 (g) against the females 116 (g) and larger in the West Indies, where the sexes.

Least grebe. seconds.## Breeding.Least grebes breed throughout the year. Those in the tropics tend to breed during the rainy season, while active nests have been found in every month of the year in Texas. Each pair builds a compact floating nest of vegetation—typically a variety of aquatic weeds—which is anchored to rooted plants in still open water as deep as 1.5 (m). The female lays three to six white eggs, though the damp nest material soon stains them with brown. Both adults incubate the eggs, which hatch after 21 days. The striped young are sometimes carried on the adult's back.## Voice.The breeding.


Question: Which city or region does this place locate in?

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Blenheim Palace. Blenheim Palace (pronounced ) is a country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between 1705 and 1722, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.The palace is named after the 1704 Battle of Blenheim, and thus ultimately after Blindheim (also known as Blenheim) in Bavaria. It was originally intended to be a reward to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough for his military triumphs against the French.

Blenheim Palace. and Bavarians in the War of the Spanish Succession, culminating in the Battle of Blenheim. The land was given as a gift, and construction began in 1705, with some financial support from Queen Anne. The project soon became the subject of political infighting, with the Crown cancelling further financial support in 1712, Marlborough's three-year voluntary exile to the Continent, the fall from influence of his duchess, and lasting damage to the reputation of the architect Sir John Vanbrugh.Designed in the rare, and short-lived, English Baroque style, architectural appreciation of the palace is as divided today as it was in the.

Blenheim Palace. 1720s. It is unique in its combined use as a family home, mausoleum and national monument. The palace is notable as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill.Following the palace's completion, it became the home of the Churchill (later Spencer-Churchill) family for the next 300 years, and various members of the family have wrought changes to the interiors, park and gardens. At the end of the 19th century, the palace was saved from ruin by funds gained from the 9th Duke of Marlborough's marriage to American railroad heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt.## Churchills.John Churchill was born in Devon. Although his.

Blenheim Palace. family had aristocratic relations, it belonged to the minor gentry rather than the upper echelons of 17th-century society. In 1678, Churchill married Sarah Jennings, and in April that year, he was sent by Charles II to The Hague to negotiate a convention on the deployment of the English army in Flanders. The mission ultimately proved abortive. In May, Churchill was appointed to the temporary rank of Brigadier-General of Foot, but the possibility of a continental campaign was eliminated with the Treaty of Nijmegen. When Churchill returned to England, the Popish Plot resulted in a temporary three-year banishment for James Stuart,.

Blenheim Palace. Duke of York. The Duke obliged Churchill to attend him, first to The Hague, then in Brussels. For his services during the crisis, Churchill was made Lord Churchill of Eyemouth in the peerage of Scotland in 1682, and the following year appointed colonel of the King's Own Royal Regiment of Dragoons.On the death of Charles II in 1685, his brother, the Duke of York, became King James II. James had been Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company (today North America's oldest company, established by royal charter in 1670), and with his succession to the throne, Churchill was appointed the company's.

Blenheim Palace. third ever governor. He had also been affirmed Gentleman of the Bedchamber in April, and admitted to the English peerage as Baron Churchill of Sandridge in the county of Hertfordshire in May. Following the Monmouth Rebellion, Churchill was promoted to Major General and awarded the lucrative colonelcy of the Third Troop of Life Guards. When William, Prince of Orange, invaded England in November 1688, Churchill, accompanied by some 400 officers and men, rode to join him in Axminster. When the King saw he could not even keep Churchill—for so long his loyal and intimate servant—he fled to France. As part.

Blenheim Palace. of William III's coronation honours, Churchill was created Earl of Marlborough, sworn to the Privy Council, and made a Gentleman of the King's Bedchamber.During the War of the Spanish Succession Churchill gained a reputation as a capable military commander, and in 1702 he was elevated to the dukedom of Marlborough. During the war he won a series of victories, including the Battle of Blenheim (1704), the Battle of Ramillies (1706), the Battle of Oudenarde (1708), and the Battle of Malplaquet (1709). For his victory at Blenheim, the Crown bestowed upon Marlborough the tenancy of the royal manor of Hensington (situated.

Blenheim Palace. on the site of Woodstock) to site the new palace, and Parliament voted a substantial sum of money towards its creation. The rent or "petit serjeanty" due to the Crown for the land was set at the peppercorn rent or quit-rent of one copy of the French royal flag to be tendered to the Monarch annually on the anniversary of the Battle of Blenheim. This flag is displayed by the Monarch on a 17th-century French writing table in Windsor Castle.Marlborough's wife was by all accounts a cantankerous woman, though capable of great charm. She had befriended the young Princess Anne.

Blenheim Palace. and later, when the princess became Queen, the Duchess of Marlborough, as Her Majesty's Mistress of the Robes, exerted great influence over the Queen on both personal and political levels. The relationship between Queen and Duchess later became strained and fraught, and following their final quarrel in 1711, the money for the construction of Blenheim ceased. For political reasons the Marlboroughs went into exile on the Continent until they returned the day after the Queen's death on 1 August 1714.## Site.The estate given by the nation to Marlborough for the new palace was the manor of Woodstock, sometimes called the.

Blenheim Palace. Palace of Woodstock, which had been a royal demesne, in reality little more than a deer park. Legend has obscured the manor's origins. King Henry I enclosed the park to contain the deer. Henry II housed his mistress Rosamund Clifford (sometimes known as "Fair Rosamund") there in a "bower and labyrinth"; a spring in which she is said to have bathed remains, named after her. It seems the unostentatious hunting lodge was rebuilt many times, and had an uneventful history until Elizabeth I, before her succession, was imprisoned there by her half-sister Mary I between 1554 and 1555. Elizabeth had.

Blenheim Palace. been implicated in the Wyatt plot, but her imprisonment at Woodstock was short, and the manor remained in obscurity until bombarded and ruined by Oliver Cromwell's troops during the Civil War. When the park was being re-landscaped as a setting for the Palace, the 1st Duchess wanted the historic ruins demolished, while Vanbrugh, an early conservationist, wanted them restored and made into a landscape feature. The Duchess, as so often in her disputes with her architect, won the day and the remains of the manor were swept away.## Architect.The architect selected for the ambitious project was a controversial one. The.

Blenheim Palace. Duchess was known to favour Sir Christopher Wren, famous for St Paul's Cathedral and many other national buildings. The Duke however, following a chance meeting at a playhouse, is said to have commissioned Sir John Vanbrugh there and then. Vanbrugh, a popular dramatist, was an untrained architect, who usually worked in conjunction with the trained and practical Nicholas Hawksmoor. The duo had recently completed the first stages of the Baroque Castle Howard. This huge Yorkshire mansion was one of England's first houses in the flamboyant European Baroque style. The success of Castle Howard led Marlborough to commission something similar at.

Blenheim Palace. Woodstock.Blenheim, however, was not to provide Vanbrugh with the architectural plaudits he imagined it would. The fight over funding led to accusations of extravagance and impracticality of design, many of these charges levelled by the Whig factions in power. He found no defender in the Duchess of Marlborough. Having been foiled in her wish to employ Wren, she levelled criticism at Vanbrugh on every level, from design to taste. In part their problems arose from what was demanded of the architect. The nation (which was then assumed, by both architect and owners, to be paying the bills) wanted a monument,.

Blenheim Palace. but the Duchess wanted not only a fitting tribute to her husband but also a comfortable home, two requirements that were not compatible in 18th-century architecture. Finally, in the early days of the building the Duke was frequently away on his military campaigns, and it was left to the Duchess to negotiate with Vanbrugh. More aware than her husband of the precarious state of the financial aid they were receiving, she criticised Vanbrugh's grandiose ideas for their extravagance.Following their final altercation, Vanbrugh was banned from the site. In 1719, whilst the Duchess was away, Vanbrugh viewed the palace in secret.

Blenheim Palace. However, when Vanbrugh's wife visited the completed Blenheim as a member of the viewing public in 1725, the Duchess refused to allow her even to enter the park.Vanbrugh's severe massed Baroque used at Blenheim never truly caught the public imagination, and was quickly superseded by the revival of the Palladian style. Vanbrugh's reputation was irreparably damaged, and he received no further truly great public commissions. For his final design, Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland, which was hailed as his masterpiece, he used a refined version of the Baroque employed at Blenheim. He died shortly before its completion.## Funding the construction.The.

Blenheim Palace. precise responsibility for the funding of the new palace has always been a debatable subject, unresolved to this day. The palace as a reward was mooted within months of the Battle of Blenheim, at a time when Marlborough was still to gain many further victories on behalf of the country. That a grateful nation led by Queen Anne wished and intended to give their national hero a suitable home is beyond doubt, but the exact size and nature of that house is questionable. A warrant dated 1705, signed by the parliamentary treasurer the Earl of Godolphin, appointed Vanbrugh as architect.

Blenheim Palace. and outlined his remit. Unfortunately for the Churchills, nowhere did this warrant mention Queen or Crown.The Duke of Marlborough contributed £60,000 to the initial cost when work commenced in 1705, which, supplemented by Parliament, should have built a monumental house. Parliament voted funds for the building of Blenheim, but no exact sum was mentioned nor provision for inflation or over-budget expenses. Almost from the outset, funds were spasmodic. Queen Anne paid some of them, but with growing reluctance and lapses, following her frequent altercations with the Duchess. After their final argument in 1712, all state money ceased and work came.

Blenheim Palace. to a halt. £220,000 had already been spent and £45,000 was owing to workmen. The Marlboroughs were forced into exile on the continent, and did not return until after the Queen's death in 1714.On their return the Duke and Duchess came back into favour at court. The 64-year-old Duke now decided to complete the project at his own expense. In 1716 work resumed, but the project relied completely upon the limited means of the Duke himself. Harmony on the building site was short-lived, as in 1717 the Duke suffered a severe stroke, and the thrifty Duchess took control. The Duchess.

Blenheim Palace. blamed Vanbrugh entirely for the growing costs and extravagance of the palace, the design of which she had never liked. Following a meeting with the Duchess, Vanbrugh left the building site in a rage, insisting that the new masons, carpenters and craftsmen, brought in by the Duchess, were inferior to those he had employed. The master craftsmen he had patronised, however, such as Grinling Gibbons, refused to work for the lower rates paid by the Marlboroughs. The craftsmen brought in by the Duchess, under the guidance of furniture designer James Moore, and Vanbrugh's assistant architect Hawksmoor, completed the work in.

Blenheim Palace. perfect imitation of the greater masters.Following the Duke's death in 1722, completion of the palace and its park became the Duchess's driving ambition. Vanbrugh's assistant Hawksmoor was recalled and in 1723 designed the "Arch of Triumph", based on the Arch of Titus, at the entrance to the park from Woodstock. Hawksmoor also completed the interior design of the library, the ceilings of many of the state rooms and other details in numerous other minor rooms, and various outbuildings. Cutting rates of pay to workmen, and using lower-quality materials in unobtrusive places, the widowed Duchess completed the great house as a.

Blenheim Palace. tribute to her late husband. The final date of completion is not known, but as late as 1735 the Duchess was haggling with Rysbrack over the cost of Queen Anne's statue placed in the library. In 1732 the Duchess wrote "The Chappel is finish'd and more than half the Tomb there ready to set up".## Design and architecture.Vanbrugh planned Blenheim in perspective; that is, to be best viewed from a distance. As the site covers some seven acres (28,000 m2) this is also a necessity.The plan of the palace's principal block (or corps de logis) is a rectangle ("see plan").

Blenheim Palace. pierced by two courtyards; these serve as little more than light wells. Contained behind the southern facade are the principal state apartments; on the east side are the suites of private apartments of the Duke and Duchess, and on the west along the entire length of the "piano nobile" is given a long gallery originally conceived as a picture gallery, but is now the library. The corps de logis is flanked by two further service blocks around square courtyards ("not shown in the plan"). The east court contains the kitchens, laundry, and other domestic offices, the west court adjacent to.

Blenheim Palace. the chapel the stables and indoor riding school. The three blocks together form the "Great Court" designed to overpower the visitor arriving at the palace. Pilasters and pillars abound, while from the roofs, themselves resembling those of a small town, great statues in the Renaissance manner of St Peter's in Rome gaze down on the visitor below, who is rendered inconsequential. Other assorted statuary in the guise of martial trophies decorate the roofs, most notably Britannia standing atop the entrance pediment in front of two reclining chained French captives sculpted in the style of Michelangelo, and the English lion devouring.

Blenheim Palace. the French cock, on the lower roofs. Many of these are by such masters as Grinling Gibbons.In the design of great 18th-century houses comfort and convenience were subservient to magnificence, and this is certainly the case at Blenheim. This magnificence over creature comfort is heightened as the architect's brief was to create not only a home but also a national monument to reflect the power and civilisation of the nation. To create this monumental effect, Vanbrugh chose to design in a severe Baroque style, using great masses of stone to imitate strength and create shadow as decoration.The solid and huge.

Blenheim Palace. entrance portico on the north front resembles more the entrance to a pantheon than a family home. Vanbrugh also liked to employ what he called his "castle air", which he achieved by placing a low tower at each corner of the central block and crowning the towers with vast belvederes of massed stone, decorated with curious finials (disguising the chimneys). Coincidentally these towers, which hint at the pylons of an Egyptian temple, further add to the heroic pantheonesque atmosphere of the building.There are two approaches to the palace's grand entrance, one from the long straight drive through wrought iron gates.

Blenheim Palace. directly into the Great Court; the other, equally if not more impressive, betrays Vanbrugh's true vision: the palace as a bastion or citadel, the true monument and home to a great warrior. Piercing the windowless, city-like curtain wall of the east court is the great East Gate, a monumental triumphal arch, more Egyptian in design than Roman. An optical illusion was created by tapering its walls to create an impression of even greater height. Confounding those who accuse Vanbrugh of impracticality, this gate is also the palace's water tower. Through the arch of the gate one views across the courtyard.

Blenheim Palace. a second equally massive gate, that beneath the clock tower, through which one glimpses the Great Court.This view of the Duke as an omnipotent being is also reflected in the interior design of the palace, and indeed its axis to certain features in the park. It was planned that when the Duke dined in state in his place of honour in the great saloon, he would be the climax of a great procession of architectural mass aggrandising him rather like a proscenium. The line of celebration and honour of his victorious life began with the great column of victory surmounted.

Blenheim Palace. by his statue and detailing his triumphs, and the next point on the great axis, planted with trees in the position of troops, was the epic Roman style bridge. The approach continues through the great portico into the hall, its ceiling painted by James Thornhill with the Duke's apotheosis, then on under a great triumphal arch, through the huge marble door-case with the Duke's marble effigy above it (bearing the ducal plaudit "Nor could Augustus better calm mankind"), and into the painted saloon, the most highly decorated room in the palace, where the Duke was to have sat enthroned.The Duke.

Blenheim Palace. was to have sat with his back to the great 30-tonne marble bust of his vanquished foe Louis XIV, positioned high above the south portico. Here the defeated King was humiliatingly forced to look down on the great parterre and spoils of his conqueror (rather in the same way as severed heads were displayed generations earlier). The Duke did not live long enough to see this majestic tribute realised, and sit enthroned in this architectural vision. The Duke and Duchess moved into their apartments on the eastern side of the palace, but the entirety was not completed until after the.

Blenheim Palace. Duke's death.The palace has been Grade I listed on the National Heritage List for England since August 1957.## Palace chapel.The palace chapel, as a consequence of the Duke's death, now obtained even greater importance. The design was altered by the Marlboroughs' friend the Earl of Godolphin, who placed the high altar in defiance of religious convention against the west wall, thus allowing the dominating feature to be the Duke's gargantuan tomb and sarcophagus. Commissioned by the Duchess in 1730, it was designed by William Kent, and statues of the Duke and Duchess depicted as Caesar and Caesarina adorn the great.

Blenheim Palace. sarcophagus. In bas relief at the base of the tomb, the Duchess ordered to be depicted the surrender of Marshal Tallard. However, the theme throughout the palace of honouring the Duke did not reach its apotheosis until the dowager duchess's death in 1744. Then, the Duke's coffin was returned to Blenheim from its temporary resting place, Westminster Abbey, and husband and wife were interred together and the tomb erected and completed. Now Blenheim had indeed become a pantheon and mausoleum. Successive Dukes and their wives are also interred in the vault beneath the chapel. Other members of family are interred.

Blenheim Palace. in St. Martin's parish churchyard at Bladon, a short distance from the palace.## Interior.The internal layout of the rooms of the central block at Blenheim was defined by the court etiquette of the day. State apartments were designed as an axis of rooms of increasing importance and public use, leading to the chief room. The larger houses, like Blenheim, had two sets of state apartments each mirroring each other. The grandest and most public and important was the central saloon "("B" in the plan") which served as the communal state dining room. To either side of the saloon are suites.

Blenheim Palace. of state apartments, decreasing in importance but increasing in privacy: the first room "("C")" would have been an audience chamber for receiving important guests, the next room "("L")" a private withdrawing room, the next room "("M")" would have been the bedroom of the occupier of the suite, thus the most private. One of the small rooms between the bedroom and the internal courtyard was intended as a dressing room. This arrangement is reflected on the other side of the saloon. The state apartments were intended for use by only the most important guests such as a visiting sovereign. On the.

Blenheim Palace. left (east) side of the plan on either side of the bow room "(marked "O")" can be seen a smaller but nearly identical layout of rooms, which were the suites of the Duke and Duchess themselves. Thus, the bow room corresponds exactly to the saloon in terms of its importance to the two smaller suites.Blenheim Palace was the birthplace of the 1st Duke's famous descendant, Winston Churchill, whose life and times are commemorated by a permanent exhibition in the suite of rooms in which he was born "(marked "K" on the plan)". Blenheim Palace was designed with all its principal.

Blenheim Palace. and secondary rooms on the "piano nobile", thus there is no great staircase of state: anyone worthy of such state would have no cause to leave the "piano nobile". Insofar as Blenheim does have a grand staircase, it is the series of steps in the Great Court which lead to the North Portico. There are staircases of various sizes and grandeur in the central block, but none are designed on the same scale of magnificence as the palace. James Thornhill painted the ceiling of the hall in 1716. It depicts Marlborough kneeling to Britannia and proffering a map of the.

Blenheim Palace. Battle of Blenheim. The hall is 67 (ft) high, and remarkable chiefly for its size and for its stone carvings by Gibbons, yet in spite of its immense size it is merely a vast anteroom to the saloon.The saloon was also to have been painted by Thornhill, but the Duchess suspected him of overcharging, so the commission was given to Louis Laguerre. This room is an example of three-dimensional painting, or "trompe l'œil", "trick-the-eye", a fashionable painting technique at the time. The Peace Treaty of Utrecht was about to be signed, so all the elements in the painting represent the.

Blenheim Palace. coming of peace. The domed ceiling is an allegorical representation of Peace: John Churchill is in the chariot, he holds a zigzag thunderbolt of war, and the woman who holds back his arm represents Peace. The walls depict all the nations of the world who have come together peacefully. Laguerre also included a self-portrait placing himself next to Dean Jones, chaplain to the 1st Duke, another enemy of the Duchess, although she tolerated him in the household because he could play a good hand at cards. To the right of the doorway leading into the first stateroom, Laguerre included the.

Blenheim Palace. French spies, said to have big ears and eyes because they may still be spying. Of the four marble door-cases in the room displaying the Duke's crest as a prince of the Holy Roman Empire, only one is by Gibbons, the other three were copied indistinguishably by the Duchess's cheaper craftsmen.The third remarkable room is the long library designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor in 1722–1725, "(H)", 183 (ft) long, which was intended as a picture gallery. The ceiling has saucer domes, which were to have been painted by Thornhill, had the Duchess not upset him. The palace, and in particular this.

Blenheim Palace. room, was furnished with the many valuable artefacts the Duke had been given, or sequestered as the spoils of war, including a fine art collection. Here in the library, rewriting history in her own indomitable style, the Duchess set up a larger than life statue of Queen Anne, its base recording their friendship.From the northern end of the library—in which is housed the largest pipe organ in private ownership in Europe, built by England's great organ builder Henry Willis & Sons—access is obtained to the raised colonnade which leads to the chapel "(H)". The chapel is perfectly balanced on the.

Blenheim Palace. eastern side of the palace by the vaulted kitchen. This symmetrical balancing and equal weight given to both spiritual and physical nourishment would no doubt have appealed to Vanbrugh's renowned sense of humour, if not the Duchess'. The distance of the kitchen from even the private dining room "("O" on the plan)" was obviously of no consideration, hot food being of less importance than to avoid having to inhale the odour of cooking and proximity of servants.## Pipe organs.The Long Library organ was built in 1891 by the famous London firm of Henry Willis & Sons at a cost of.

Blenheim Palace. £3,669. It replaced a previous organ built in 1888 by Isaac Abbott of Leeds, which was removed to St Swithun's church, Hither Green. Originally erected in the central bay, with its back to the water terraces, the Norwich firm of Norman & Beard moved it to the northwestern end of the library in 1902 and made a few tonal additions and, the following year, cleaned it. No further changes were made until 1930, when the Willis firm lowered the pitch to modern concert pitch: a Welte automatic player was added in 1931, with 70 rolls cut by Marcel Dupré, Joseph.

Blenheim Palace. Bonnet, Alfred Hollins, Edwin Lemare and Harry Goss-Custard also being supplied. This remained in use for some time: the Duke of the time is said to have frequently sat at the organ bench and pretended to play the organ to his guests and they would applaud at the end. This practice is said to have been halted abruptly when the player started before the Duke had reached the organ. This famous instrument is regularly maintained and is played by visiting organists throughout the year, but its condition is declining: a fundraising campaign has been launched for its complete restoration.The organ.

Blenheim Palace. in the chapel was built circa 1853 by Robert Postill of York: it is notable as a rare unaltered example of this fine builder's work, speaking boldly and clearly into a generous acoustic.## Park and gardens.Blenheim sits in the centre of a large undulating park, a classic example of the English landscape garden movement and style. When Vanbrugh first cast his eyes over it in 1704 he immediately conceived a typically grandiose plan: through the park trickled the small River Glyme, and Vanbrugh envisaged this marshy brook traversed by the "finest bridge in Europe". Thus, ignoring the second opinion offered.

Blenheim Palace. by Sir Christopher Wren, the marsh was channelled into three small canal-like streams and across it rose a bridge of huge proportions, so huge it was reported to contain some 30-odd rooms. While the bridge was indeed an amazing wonder, in this setting it appeared incongruous, causing Alexander Pope to comment: "the minnows, as under this vast arch they pass, murmur, 'how like whales we look, thanks to your Grace.'"Horace Walpole saw it in 1760, shortly before Capability Brown's improvements: "the bridge, like the beggars at the old duchess's gate, begs for a drop of water and is refused." Another.

Blenheim Palace. of Vanbrugh's schemes was the great parterre, nearly half a mile long and as wide as the south front. Also in the park, completed after the 1st Duke's death, is the "Column of Victory". It is 134 (ft) high and terminates a great avenue of elms leading to the palace, which were planted in the positions of Marlborough's troops at the Battle of Blenheim. Vanbrugh had wanted an obelisk to mark the site of the former royal manor, and the trysts of Henry II which had taken place there, causing the 1st Duchess to remark, "If there were obelisks to.

Blenheim Palace. bee made of all what our Kings have done of that sort, the countrey would bee stuffed with very odd things" ("sic"). The obelisk was never realised.Following the 1st Duke's death the Duchess concentrated most of her considerable energies on the completion of the palace itself, and the park remained relatively unchanged until the arrival of Capability Brown in 1764. The 4th Duke employed Brown who immediately began an English landscape garden scheme to naturalise and enhance the landscape, with tree planting, and man-made undulations. However, the feature with which he is forever associated is the lake, a huge stretch.

Blenheim Palace. of water created by damming the River Glyme and ornamented by a series of cascades where the river flows in and out. The lake was narrowed at the point of Vanbrugh's grand bridge, but the three small canal-like streams trickling underneath it were completely absorbed by one river-like stretch. Brown's great achievement at this point was to actually flood and submerge beneath the water level the lower stories and rooms of the bridge itself, thus reducing its incongruous height and achieving what is regarded by many as the epitome of an English landscape. Brown also grassed over the great parterre.

Blenheim Palace. and the Great Court. The latter was re-paved by Duchêne in the early 20th century. The 5th Duke was responsible for several other garden follies and novelties.Sir William Chambers, assisted by John Yenn, was responsible for the small summerhouse known as "The Temple of Diana" down by the lake, where in 1908 Winston Churchill proposed to his future wife.The extensive landscaped park, woodlands and formal gardens of Blenheim are Grade I listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. Blenheim Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.## Failing fortunes.On the death of the 1st Duke in 1722, as.

Blenheim Palace. both his sons were dead, he was succeeded by his daughter Henrietta. This was an unusual succession and required a special Act of Parliament, as only sons can usually succeed to an English dukedom. When Henrietta died, the title passed to Marlborough's grandson Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland, whose mother was Marlborough's second daughter Anne.The 1st Duke, as a soldier, was not a rich man and what fortune he possessed was mostly used for finishing the palace. In comparison with other British ducal families, the Marlboroughs were not very wealthy. Yet they existed quite comfortably until the time of the.

Blenheim Palace. 5th Duke of Marlborough (1766–1840), a spendthrift who considerably depleted the family's remaining fortune. He was eventually forced to sell other family estates, but Blenheim was safe from him as it was entailed. This did not prevent him selling the Marlboroughs' Boccaccio for a mere £875 and his own library in over 4000 lots. On his death in 1840, his profligacy left the estate and family with financial problems.By the 1870s, the Marlboroughs were in severe financial trouble and in 1875 the 7th Duke sold the "Marriage of Cupid and Psyche", together with the famed Marlborough gems, at auction for.

Blenheim Palace. £10,000. However this was not enough to save the family. In 1880, the 7th Duke was forced to petition Parliament to break the protective entail on the Palace and its contents. This was achieved under the Blenheim Settled Estates Act 1880 and the door was now open for wholesale dispersal of Blenheim and its contents. The first victim was the great Sunderland Library which was sold in 1882, including such volumes as "The Epistles of Horace", printed at Caen in 1480, and the works of Josephus, printed at Verona in 1648. The 18,000 volumes raised almost £60,000. The sales continued.

Blenheim Palace. to denude the palace: Raphael's "Ansidei Madonna" was sold for £70,000; Van Dyck's Equestrian Portrait of Charles I realised £17,500; and finally the "pièce de résistance" of the collection, Peter Paul Rubens' "Rubens, His Wife Helena Fourment, and Their Son Peter Paul, and Their Son Frans (1633–1678)", which had been given by the city of Brussels to the 1st Duke in 1704, was also sold, and is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.These sums of money, vast by the standards of the day, failed to cover the debts and the maintenance of the great palace.

Blenheim Palace. remained beyond the Marlboroughs' resources. These had always been small in relation to their ducal rank and the size of their house. The British agricultural depression, which started in the 1870s, added to the family's problems. When the 9th Duke inherited in 1892, the land was generating dwindling income.## 9th Duke of Marlborough.Charles, 9th Duke of Marlborough (1871–1934) can be credited with saving both the palace and the family. Inheriting the near-bankrupt dukedom in 1892, he was forced to find a quick and drastic solution to the problems. Prevented by the strict social dictates of late 19th-century society from earning.

Blenheim Palace. money, he was left with one solution: he had to marry into money. In November 1896 he coldly and openly without love married the American railroad heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt. The marriage was celebrated following lengthy negotiations with her divorced parents: her mother, Alva Vanderbilt, was desperate to see her daughter a duchess, and the bride's father, William Vanderbilt, paid for the privilege. The final price was $2,500,000 ($ million today) in 50,000 shares of the capital stock of the Beech Creek Railway Company with a minimum 4% dividend guaranteed by the New York Central Railroad Company. The couple were given.

Blenheim Palace. a further annual income each of $100,000 for life. The teenage Consuelo had been locked in her room by her mother until she agreed to the marriage. The marriage settlement was actually signed in the vestry of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, New York, immediately after the wedding vows had been made. In the carriage leaving the church, Marlborough told Consuelo he loved another woman, and would never return to America, as he "despised anything that was not British".The replenishing of Blenheim began on the honeymoon itself, with the replacement of the Marlborough gems. Tapestries, paintings and furniture were bought in.

Blenheim Palace. Europe to fill the depleted palace. On their return the Duke began an exhaustive restoration and redecoration of the palace. The state rooms to the west of the saloon were redecorated with gilt boiseries in imitation of Versailles. Vanbrugh's subtle rivalry to Louis XIV's great palace was now completely undermined, as the interiors became mere pastiches of those of the greater palace. While this redecoration may not have been without fault (and the Duke later regretted it), other improvements were better received. Another problem caused by the redecoration was that the state and principal bedrooms were now moved upstairs, thus.

Blenheim Palace. rendering the state rooms an enfilade of rather similar and meaningless drawing rooms. On the west terrace the French landscape architect Achille Duchêne was employed to create a water garden. On a second terrace below this were placed two great fountains in the style of Bernini, scaled models of those in the Piazza Navona which had been presented to the 1st Duke.Blenheim was once again a place of wonder and prestige. However, Consuelo was far from happy; she records many of her problems in her cynical and often less than candid biography "The Glitter and the Gold". In 1906 she.

Blenheim Palace. shocked society and left her husband, finally divorcing in 1921. She subsequently married a Frenchman, Jacques Balsan. She died in 1964, having lived to see her son become Duke of Marlborough, and frequently returning to Blenheim, the house she had hated and yet saved, albeit as the unwilling sacrifice.After his divorce the Duke married again, to a former friend of Consuelo, Gladys Deacon, another American. This eccentric lady was of an artistic disposition, and a painting of her eyes still remains on the ceiling of the great north portico ("see secondary lead image"). A lower terrace was decorated with sphinxes.

Blenheim Palace. modelled on Gladys and executed by W. Ward Willis in 1930. Before her marriage while staying with the Marlboroughs she had caused a diplomatic incident by encouraging the young Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany to form an attachment. The prince had given her an heirloom ring, which the combined diplomatic services of two empires were charged to recover. After her marriage, Gladys was in the habit of dining with the Duke with a revolver by the side of her plate. Tiring of her, the Duke was temporarily forced to close Blenheim, and turn off the utilities to drive her out.

Blenheim Palace. They subsequently separated but did not divorce. The Duke died in 1934 and his widow in 1977.The 9th Duke was succeeded by his and Consuelo Vanderbilt's eldest son: John, 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897–1972), who after eleven years as a widower, remarried at the age of 74, to (Frances) Laura Charteris, formerly the wife of the 2nd Viscount Long and the 3rd Earl of Dudley, and granddaughter of the 11th Earl of Wemyss. The marriage was short-lived, however; the Duke died just six weeks later, on 11 March 1972. The bereaved Duchess complained of "the gloom and inhospitality of Blenheim.

Blenheim Palace. after his death, and soon moved out. In her autobiography, "Laughter from a Cloud" (1980), she referred to Blenheim Palace as "The Dump". She died in London in 1990.## Second World War.During the war the 10th Duke welcomed the boys from Malvern College as evacuees, and in September 1940 allowed the Security Service (MI5) to use the palace as its base until the end of the war.## The palace today.The palace remains the home of the Dukes of Marlborough, the present incumbent of the title being Charles James (Jamie) Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough. Charles James succeeded to the Dukedom.

Blenheim Palace. upon his father's death on 16 October 2014., the Marlboroughs still have to tender a copy of the French royal flag to the Monarch on the anniversary of the Battle of Blenheim as rent for the land that Blenheim Palace stands on.The palace, park, and gardens are open to the public on payment of an entry fee (maximum , ). Several tourist entertainment attractions separate from the palace are the Formal and Walled Gardens, Marlborough Maze and the Butterfly House. The palace is linked to the Walled Garden by a miniature railway, the Blenheim Park Railway.Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill, the brother.

Blenheim Palace. of the current Duke, wished to feature a contemporary art programme within the historic setting of the palace where he spent his childhood. He founded Blenheim Art Foundation (BAF), a non-profit organisation, to present large-scale contemporary art exhibitions. BAF launched on 1 October 2014 with the UK's largest ever exhibition by Ai Weiwei. The foundation was conceived to give a vast number of people access to innovative contemporary artists working in the context of this historic palace.In September 2019, on the occasion of the opening of Maurizio Cattelan's show "Victory is not an option", the palace was the scene of.

Blenheim Palace. a robbery: unknown thieves entered the palace at night time, just after the opening of the show, and stole a golden toilet, valued at $5 million, which had been installed by the artist in one of the bathrooms.The public have free access to about five miles (8 km) of public rights of way through the Great Park area of the grounds, which are accessible from Old Woodstock and from the Oxfordshire Way, and which are close to the Column of Victory. Blenheim Palace in film and media List of Baroque residences "Noble Households" – book with Blenheim Palace inventory of.

Blenheim Palace. 1740 Cornforth, John (2004). "Early Georgian Interiors". New Haven, Conn.; London: Yale University Press for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, pp. 275–9 Murdoch, Tessa (ed.) (2006). "Noble Households: Eighteenth-Century Inventories of Great English Houses. A Tribute to John Cornforth". Cambridge: John Adamson, pp. 273–83 Churchill by Oswald Birley - UK Parliament Living Heritage Blenheim Art Foundation Blenheim Palace at Cotswolds Website.


Question: Who or what maintains this building?

Instruction: Determine the Wikipedia snippet that matches the question of this image.

Chapel of the Resurrection (Valparaiso, Indiana). The Chapel of the Resurrection is the centerpiece structure on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. Primarily used to facilitate many Lutheran campus worship services, the Chapel of the Resurrection also serves as a site for convocations, musical performances, guest lectures, and commencement ceremonies.The chapel's chancel is 98 (ft) high and is circular in shape; the roof of the apse is shaped like a nine-pointed star. The nave is 58 (ft) high and 193 (ft) long. The building capacity is around 2000, although this number is flexible depending upon the configuration of the chairs, which recently replaced the.

Chapel of the Resurrection (Valparaiso, Indiana). pews. To the southwest of the Chapel lies the Brandt Campanile, a 12-bell tower rising 143 (ft) tall.Clearly visible from U.S. Route 30 and throughout the surrounding community, the building is located on the highest point of ground on the Valparaiso University campus and is a Northwest Indiana landmark.## History.Groundbreaking for the Chapel construction took place in 1956. The building was designed by the architectural firm Charles Stade and Associates of Park Ridge, Illinois, though certain elements and features (e.g., the stone baptistry, the stained glass windows, etc.) were designed by other artists. Peter Dohmen Studios of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Chapel of the Resurrection (Valparaiso, Indiana). designed the 95 (ft) high stained glass windows, as well as the marble interzia altar, and the mosaic at the entrance of the chapel. Adalbert Raphael Kretzmann, pastor and brother of Valparaiso University president O. P. Kretzmann, joined Charles Stade in the building's design.The altar is 20 (ft) long, made of various types of Italian marble. Peter Dohmen designed the inlaid marble pedestals to depict, with symbols, the four evangelists. Matthew is represented by an angel, Mark by a lion, John by an eagle, and Luke by an ox.Peter Dohmen learned his skills at the top art academies of Europe.

Chapel of the Resurrection (Valparaiso, Indiana). building was dedicated in 1959, part of Valparaiso University's centennial celebration, and officially designated as the Chapel of the Resurrection at the 10th anniversary service in 1969.In July and August 2005, the university built a medieval-style prayer labyrinth on the east side of the chapel, 64 feet in diameter. The university is adding 11000 (sqft) to the building in 2014, known as the Helge Center.## Organ.The Reddel Organ in the chapel was built by organ builder Herman Schlicker of Buffalo, New York. A contract for the organ was signed on September 27, 1957 at a cost of $68,000. These funds.