If you want to organise a fun and interesting weekend with your family, then renting a car will be the most optimal decision. You can move around in absolute freedom and visit Villa Grock easily and economically.
If you are looking for an ideal place for a family holiday, Imperia is a destination of choice. You can enjoy all sorts of activities that will brighten the faces of you and your loved ones. Appreciated for its charming harbour, Imperia is a guarantee of great holidays! During your stay, you will never find yourself feeling out of place, not even for a second! In your travelling plans to Imperia, you may want to include Villa Grock, the eccentric home of the greatest clown of the 20th century: Adrien Wettach, aka Grock. In this place, everything recalls the creative atmosphere of the circus and Grock’s extraordinary and playful personality. To discover this fantastic mansion and its clown museum, you can hire a vehicle, so that you and your family will be able to move easily through the narrow streets of Imperia.
Adrien Wettach is an internationally renowned artist
The greatest clown of the 20th century was a Swiss. A circus and music hall legend, Grock made millions of people laugh for fifty years on the planet with a single number that he honed throughout his career. A number in which his naive character presented the most poignant features of humanity as much as he emphasised its vanities and revealed its absurdities. He was crowned king of the clowns at the Paris Olympic Games in 1919. He was a master in each of the areas that make up the circus world. Besides being a rider, musician and juggler, he also worked as a contortionist.
The history of Villa Grock
Villa Grock, also known as Villa Bianca, reflects the extravagant style of the clown Grock. Adrien Wettach managed the villa and incorporated his personality and ideas into it. The numerous rooms that make up the building made Grock’s stage a perfect place to perform in front of his guests. The building itself is also a replica of artist Adrien Wettach’s mysterious initiation. The Art Nouveau style blends with the eclectic style of the owner. It is lovely to stroll through the park surrounding the villa, amidst cedars of Lebanon, firs, cycas, magnolias, palms and olive trees typical of the Riviera’s historic gardens. The elegant pond, where the clown used to swim or even fish, is home to the small island reached by a small bridge supported by an arch on which rests a small temple reminiscent of exotic art. From the terraces, there is a unique view of Imperia.
The Clown Museum
Inside the villa is the clown museum that offers interactive and emotional tours to immerse oneself in the incredible world of Grock, his art and clowning. Each room is dedicated to a characteristic aspect, from make-up to magic and Grock’s history, thanks to the recovery of original objects and biographical details. Each room has its own secret that the visitor will be delighted to discover.
