Strawberry Moon and the Castle

From the photographer: “The history of Sicily, especially its medieval era, is deeply intertwined with the presence of numerous castles and fortresses. Not far from the village of Racalmuto—famous as the birthplace of writer Leonardo Sciascia—rises Mount Gibellina, crowned by the Castelluccio, a solitary sentinel watching over the surrounding countryside.

The first documented mention of the castle dates back to 1358, when the king granted: “the castle of Gibilinis, near the settlement of Racalmuto, formerly owned by the late count Simone di Chiaramonte, traitor,” to soldier Bernardo de Podiovirid and his heirs. However, the fortress remained with the Chiaramonte family only briefly before passing through the hands of several Sicilian noble families over the centuries.

In this photograph, the castle was captured at sunset on June 10, 2025, from approximately 5 kilometers away, while waiting for the Strawberry Moon to rise above its silhouette and the small rural dwellings at the foot of the hill. Witnessing the Moon emerge behind the hill was profoundly moving. The harmonious blend of copper-red lunar hues and the last golden rays of sunlight warming the Sicilian countryside creates a spectacle uniting nature, history, and poetry in a single frame.”

Technical details: Canon 7d, Sigma 150-600mm (900mm eq)
f/6.3., iso 400, 1/60 sec for the moon
iso 100, f/8, 1/40 sec for the landscape