Repair works to the roof of one of South Lanarkshire's most significant cultural landmarks are scheduled to be complete by the end of this year.
Almost £500,000 is being spent on the repairs to Hamilton Mausoleum, one of the area's most famous buildings.
Following a successful campaign from the Hamilton Advertiser and the Hamilton Mausoleum Trust – who urged the local authority to take action and stop the deterioration of the building – South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) pledged to invest thousands into repairing the iconic building.
Bosses say repair works are progressing well with the project scheduled for completion by the end of the year.
General Manager of South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture, David Booth, this week told Lanarkshire Live : “The project to repair the roof is progressing well.
"Various essential stone repairs have been identified during the works and will be carried out while the extensive scaffolding is erected.
“The project is now scheduled to be completed by the end of the year when the Mausoleum will reopen for organised tours and bookings.”
Huge scaffolding has been erected around the magnificent building as the works progress.
The cash will see the lead and guttering on the flat roofs and the dome replaced, as they are showing water ingress.
A spokeswoman for the Mausoleum Trust told us: "Our members are delighted and thank the council for commissioning the repair work to the building.”
The trust continues to attract attention and members are still joining from all over the world.
Built in the grounds of the now-demolished Hamilton Palace, the dome-shaped building was built as a tomb and monument to Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton, nicknamed ‘El Magnifico’, but was incomplete at the time of his death in 1852.
The unique structure of the building provides amazing acoustics, and the echo inside the Mausoleum can last for around 15 seconds – one of the longest in the world.
In addition to being a popular visitor attraction the Mausoleum also provides a unique venue that in recent years has hosted modern and classical music performances, art installations and even the recording of a suite of classical music specifically composed for its unique acoustics.
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