An anomaly among the hills above Genoa: a full Gothic Revival castle built by a Scottish entrepreneur at the turn of the 20th century. Evan Mackenzie, who imported Scottish woollen goods into Liguria, commissioned the building in 1893 as a private residence on a scale that suggested he intended to stay permanently. The result is the most extravagant private house in Liguria — towers, turrets, frescoed halls, and a garden with panoramic views over the city and sea.
The building was successively a family home, a Fascist military headquarters, a gymnastics centre, and is now owned by one of Italy's largest auction houses, which uses the halls for sales. The exterior can be admired from the road; occasional guided visits allow access inside.