Corniglia

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Panorama of Corniglia.

View of the coast of Corniglia.

Corniglia is a frazione (fraction) of the commune of Vernazza in the province of La Spezia (Liguria, Italy). Differently from the other localities of the Cinque Terre, it does not directly look upon the sea but raises on the top of a promontory about 100 meters high, surrounded on three sides by vineyards and terraces and the fourth side descends steeply on the sea. To reach Corniglia, it is necessary to climb the Lardarina, a long brick flight of steps composed of 33 flights with 377 steps or, otherwise follow a vehicular road that, from the station, leads to the village.

The village stretches along the main road, Fieschi Road, and the houses have one side facing this road and the other facing the sea. Corniglia is characterized by narrow roads and a terrace obtained in the rock from which all other four Cinque Terre's villages, two on one side and two on the other, can be seen. The town planning structure presents also original characteristics compared to those of the other villages: the houses are lower set, and only more recently higher, similar to those of the villages of the hinterland.

Corniglia is mentioned in a famous novella of Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron.

[edit] History

The origin of the village dates back to the Roman Age as testified by the name which finds its roots in Gens Cornelia, the Roman family to whom the land belonged. In the Middle Ages it was a possession of the counts of Lavagna, the lords of Carpena and of Luni. In 1254 Pope Innocent IV gave it to Nicolò Fieschi, who held it until 1276, when the village was acquired by the Republic of Genoa.

[edit] Main sights

A few documents from 1276-77, mention the existence of a castle of which no remain has been found up to today so that not even the location of the castle has been possible. The only ruin left, belonging to the Genoese fortifications, is a stronghold on a cliff plunging into the sea which dates back to approximately 1556.