Castello di Zena, Medieval castle in Carpaneto Piacentino, Italy

Castello di Zena is a complex of six historic buildings in Zena, a hamlet of Carpaneto Piacentino in the Po Valley between the Riglio and Chero streams. The walled site covers 2,470 m² within grounds of just under 24,000 m², and the buildings stand around an inner courtyard. Restoration begun by Gian Mario Perotti in the 1970s was continued by his son Emanuele.

The earliest records mention the castle from 1216, when Cremonese troops destroyed it during a military campaign in the region. This event shows how important the fortress was as a strategic location in the area.

The name Zena comes from the Latin "silva" (wood), referring to the ancient forest that once covered the area. The castle's 1562 investiture ceremony, recorded in the Parma State Archives, involved raising and lowering the drawbridge and walking through the fortress gates. Today the complex is privately owned by the Perotti family, who have carried out restoration since the 1970s.

The castle is located between the Riglio and Chero rivers near Carpaneto Piacentino and can be reached from several nearby towns. Visitors should plan their visit considering the rural location and travel times from larger cities.

The 1562 investiture of Gilberto Sanvitale was performed by proxy: Enea Zochi entered the castle in his place, raising and lowering the drawbridge and footbridge and opening and closing the gates, as recorded in documents kept in the State Archive of Parma.