Washington Monument Set to Reopen after Earthquake Damage

The Washington Monument, one of the most iconic structures in D.C. and perhaps America, will reopen on Monday, May 12. The Monument has been closed for nearly three years after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in nearby Virginia rattled the 555 foot tall structure. Luckily only some of the stones broke near the top of the obelisk, which is made up of nearly 100,000 tons of solid rock.

The Monument is 55 stories with an elevator that can take tourists to the top. From there you can see most of D.C’s famous sites including the Arlington Cemetery, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol. It total the repairs cost around $15 million.

We are happy to see that the Monument is open to visitors once again! The Monument will begin extended operating hours on May 12 and will be open from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. through the end of summer.

Source: CBS News