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VOA - Vietnam News

WASHINGTON - The Washington Monument is reopening to the public after years of closure to replace its aging elevator and security system.

First lady Melania Trump helped with the ribbon-cutting ceremony and took a ceremonial first ride to the top of the monument with fourth-graders from nearby Amidon-Bowen Elementary School.

Fourth graders from Amidon Bowen elementary school in Washington DC with their "Every Kid in the Outdoors" that gives them free access to national parks, Sept. 19, 2019. (P. Widakuswara)

The iconic landmark in the nation’s capital has been closed for most of the past eight years, after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake left 150 cracks in its stones in 2012.

The monument briefly opened in 2016 but closed again after a series of elevator malfunctions.

"We completely rehabbed the elevator," said Jeffrey Reinbold, National Mall and Memorial Parks superintendent. "There's new cabling with it, new electronics with it, we refurbished the motor with it. And we also added a new screening facility."

Reinbold said at first they will limit the number of visitors to 40 to 50 people every half an hour until they figure out the best flow for the security screening system. He said they hope to return to the previous average of about 500,000 visitors per year.

Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis as of Thursday. Online reservations begin October 19.

Named after George Washington, the first president of the United States, the monument is one of the most dramatic, iconic features of the Washington skyline and one of the most popular attractions on the National Mall.

The Washington Monument, Washington, DC. (Photo: Diaa Bekheet)

The 169-meter-tall stone obelisk was constructed in 1848, and took nearly 40 years to complete due the Civil War and lack of funding. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest building in the world, but was soon overtaken by the Eiffel Tower in 1889.

This time, the monument’s repair was funded not only by taxpayer money, but also millions of dollars in donations from philanthropist David Rubenstein and other donors.

The Washington Monument remains the tallest building in the nation's capital.

The National Park Service is hosting a variety of events to celebrate the monument's reopening.