After being closed for 32 months the Washington Monument just reopened for public tours. It was closed due to damage caused from an earthquake in August of 2011. The monument suffered over 150 cracks because of the earthquake and it needed to be shut down because it was no longer safe for individuals to visit.
About The Repair
The repair was difficult because the worst of it happened near the top of the monument, which is 500 feet from the ground. Engineers had to meticulously look at each stone to see if there were any cracks or broken pieces that needed repair. It took around 1,000 days for each of the monument’s broken stones to be fixed and it cost $15 million dollars. Half of the funds were allocated by the monument’s restoration fund and the other half were generously donated by philanthropist David Rubenstein.
Interesting Facts About The Washington Monument
- The Washington Monument was built between the years of 1848 and 1884. It took two phases of construction for it to be completed.
- It was first built as a way to honor the country’s first president, George Washington.
- No buildings are allowed to be built in Washington D.C. that are taller than the Washington Monument.
- It used to be the tallest structure in the world, but lost its title after five years when the Eiffel Tower was built. It still remains the tallest freestanding structure in the world that is made out of stone.
- It only takes about 70 seconds to ride on the elevator to the top of the Washington Monument and two minutes and 45 seconds to ride back down. When it was first built it took 20 minutes to get to the top and only men were allowed to ride on the elevator.
- Visitors can skip the elevator and use the stairs to climb to the top of the monument. However, they better be in good shape as there are 897 steps.
Around half a million people visit the Washington Monument each year, but it is expected that it may see a lot more visitors since it was closed for so long. To accommodate all of these visitors The National Park Service is offering extended hours for its visitors throughout the summer. The Washington Monument is open 7 days a week. Hours for the summer are 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. It is free to get in, but visitors will need to get a ticket and reserve a tour time.
