Villa Grock

The Villa Grock in Imperia

The Villa Grock was christened "Villa Bianca" by Adrian Wettach (1880–1959), the world-famous clown " Grock ". It is located in Imperia (Liguria) , district Oneglia, on the Italian Riviera near Sanremo and was Grock's residence in the first half of the 20th century.

Grock met his parents-in-law in Imperia in 1920, was enthusiastic about the holiday resort and subsequently acquired a large, roughly triangular plot of land with a sea view, on which he had the Villa Bianca built from 1922 , then the existing Villa Grock from 1927.

The house and gardens are shaped by the artist's personal taste, with strong echoes of Art Nouveau and Art Deco , but also show oriental and historicist influences. Grock, an enthusiastic hobby craftsman, is said to have designed a lot himself. Armando Brignole worked as a construction technician. Grock died here on his estate in 1959.

Garden of Villa Grock, 2011

Today the house and garden are owned by the Province of Imperia . The garden has been open to the public since its renovation, which was completed in 2006. The villa was acquired by the Province of Imperia in 2002 for 1.5 million euros and has been renovated since then. "Villa Grock" was opened to the public in January 2013 in the presence of the Minister for Economic Development, Claudio Scajola. But the work for the planned "Grock.Museo" has been suspended and a new partner is being sought to take over the contract for the museum. Apparently there is a lack of exhibition material. Larger parts of the original furniture are now in the possession of the circus entrepreneur Bernhard Paul .

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ Eberhard J. Wormer : "Nit possible!" A visit to Villa Grock. Orthopädie & Rheuma 15 (5), 2012, pp. 88-89, DOI: 10.1007 / s15002-012-0280-9.
↑ Der Spiegel , 1949, issue 30, p. 31: “There are no craftsmen in his 40-room castle“ Villa Bianca ”on the Italian Riviera. Grock does everything himself. "
^ According to the TV documentary about Bernhard Paul, broadcast on ORF 2 on October 31, 2010

43.894444444444 8.0445833333333Coordinates: 43 ° 53 ′ 40 " N , 8 ° 2 ′ 40.5" E

[1] Eberhard J. Wormer : "Nit possible!" A visit to Villa Grock. Orthopädie & Rheuma 15 (5), 2012, pp. 88-89, DOI: 10.1007 / s15002-012-0280-9.

[2] Der Spiegel , 1949, issue 30, p. 31: “There are no craftsmen in his 40-room castle“ Villa Bianca ”on the Italian Riviera. Grock does everything himself. "

[3] According to the TV documentary about Bernhard Paul, broadcast on ORF 2 on October 31, 2010