Corniglia's history starts during the paleolithic age when the first humen beings arrived here from Palmaria Island where some weapons and work tools were founds. In pre-roman period the proud of Ligurian tribes represented an obstacles to the expansion of the Roman Empire but it happened. The name of Corniglia comes from Gens Cornelia, that owned this famous vineyards and  some anphoras of his wine were found in Pompei. The social layout and jusrisdiction of the territory, ruled by the strict autarchy lasted till early Middle Ages, then bishops took the power and the area was dominated by powerful families of Carpena, Da Passano an finally the  Fieschi family. In 1276 the area went under Republic of Genova rule. In 1525 the turkish pirate Dragut attacked Corniglia and kidnapped men, women and childs as done some days before in Monterosso. Nowdays it can be seen some remains of the fortress of the 16th Century built by the population.