Villa Grock, Magic Takes Shape
Built on a hill overlooking the city of Imperia, the Park and Villa Grock were imagined and carried out by Swiss circus performer Charles Adrien Wettach, known to the public as Grock.
Consecrated “King of Clowns” at the Paris Olympia in 1919, a true international star of his time, Grock was so struck by the beauty of the Ligurian Riviera that he decided to build his private residence here in the late 1920s.
Combining different styles, Villa Grock wonderfully reflects the eclectic character of its creator. The architecture and taste are reminiscent of Art Deco, the Italian Art Nouveau and the circus world, so much so that the Villa, with its array of lampposts, columns, drops and balustrades, earned the name of “Stone Circus”.
Since 2013, Villa Grock has housed the Clown Museum.
