The count resumed a project begun a few decades before by the previous feudal lords the Orsini, namely the construction of a castle with a colossal four-storey central tower, side towers and an entrance with a drawbridge.
Surrounded by a moat, the castle stood on the Lapillo hill and had a wall that reached the Piano and an advance tower that today lies beneath the Palazzo dell ‘Annunziata, and was identical to the two towers of the castle.
The site chosen for the castle has a complete view of the historic centre of Matera. The area was therefore chosen for defence, not only outward but also from the citizens themselves, which says a lot about how much the tyrant feared his people.
It is clear that the castle was built for the sole purpose of defence from its cramped and uncomfortable rooms and spaces, unsuitable for everyday life.
Construction began in 1501 and took a huge toll on the pockets of the population. Following the purchase of the rights to Ginosa and the rustic fief of Grifalco (a town near Matera), the count tried to pay his debts by imposing new taxes on the local aristocracy. This strategy reached its climax on 28 December 1514, when he asked the people for a further contribution to cover the debt he had contracted with Paolo Toulouse in the deed of sale of Girifalco.
Exasperated by the count’s continuous demands for money, several citizens of Matera decided to ambush him near the church of San Giovanni Vecchio, hidden behind the boulder called “‘U pizzon du mmal consighj” (the boulder of bad advice).
The ambush was to take place after Holy Sunday Mass at the cathedral. The decision to wait for the count outside a church was due to the custom of the time that prohibited the carrying of weapons during religious services.
After bribing the tyrant’s guards, the plan could be carried out. After evening mass on 29 December 1514, the Count was attacked in a side street near the cathedral (today’s Via Riscatto); after having fought to the last and tried in vain to escape, Giancarlo Tramontano was killed. Testifying to the episode is an engraving at the base of a column of the church of San Giovanni Battista that reads “Die 29 dec interfectus est comes”, meaning “On 29 December the count was killed”.
The bells rang to announce the death of the tyrant, triggering a festive invasion of the streets by the people.
The revolting citizens first looted the count’s residence in the Castelvecchio district (near Piazza Duomo, in Civita ), then imprisoned his wife, finally burning documents relating to the judiciary.
No one was ever able to find the murderers; the only suspects were Tassiello di Cataldo and Cola di Salvagio. Legend has it that the murderer was a “Schiavone”, or a Materan citizen of Serbo-Croatian origin.