Villa Grock

The residence that was built in the first half of the 20th century by the clown Charles Adrien Wettach on the Collina delle Cascine di Oneglia, overlooking the historical centre, is a spectacular feast of colonnades, balustrades, flowerbeds and palm trees, a fishpond with exedra and small bridge in a style between Art Nouveau and eclecticism, complemented by the colours of the stained-glass windows inside and the turret that crowns the main building. Also thanks to the audioguide, you can visit the museum and see the memories of Grock's amazing career, Wettach's stage name, with photographs, posters, dutifully oversized stage shoes, his portraits, workshop and violin. The real attraction, however, is the place as a whole.

'My birth name no longer counts', Wettach wrote. 'I'm Grock. The other is the name of the dark years', with this acknowledging a complete identification with the public persona and, by implication, a fundamental role in the history of circus entertainment. Wettach was keen on esotericism, and it is argued that certain details of his mansion portray initiatory symbols. It is difficult to be certain, but it is indeed possible that the ability to make people laugh, even just make them smile, came from an acute propensity to look at human weaknesses from the outside.