Why is the Washington Monument closed?

Washington – The National Park Service announced today that the Washington Monument will close until further notice as a measure to protect staff and visitors from the spread of COVID-19.



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The monument has been closed for most of the past eight years. An August 2011 earthquake left cracks in the stones near the top of the obelisk. It reopened in 2014, but Park Service officials were forced to close it again two years later after a series of elevator malfunctions.

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CLAIM: Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed using her power to remove the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial in the wake of George Floyd's death. AP'S ASSESSMENT: False. Mayor Bowser's office confirmed that the mayor did not call for the removal of the Washington Monument or Lincoln Memorial.

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Having always struggled to gather funding, the Society's change in administration alienated donors and drove the Society to bankruptcy by 1854. Without funds, work on the monument slowed to a halt. Architect Robert Mills died in 1855.

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However, after Washington became president, he scrapped the plans for his memorial, as federal government funds were tight and he didn't want to use public money for the project.

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It took nearly 40 years to build a tribute to the first U.S. president. It was stalled by a lack of funds and, at one point, occupied by a political fringe group. Few structures represent the United States as powerfully as the Washington Monument.

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The Earthquake Damage occurred throughout the metropolitan Washington area, but the Washington Monument was among the significantly damaged structures. Check out the videos below to learn more about the earthquake, assessments and the repairs that followed.

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Facing increased criticism from black leaders and concerns that the water was polluted, Congress voted to ban swimming in the Tidal Basin in 1925. Swimming has never been allowed in the Reflecting Pool, but there were segregated, whites-only swimming pools near the Washington Monument during the late 1920s.

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The two sections closely resembled each other at first, but time, wind, rain, and erosion have caused the marble sections to weather differently, thereby producing the difference in color. A third type of marble is also visible at the dividing line between the two main phases of construction.

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The nonstop elevator ascent to the top floor 500 feet above the ground takes approximately 70 seconds. Once at the observation deck, you are free to explore at your leisure. The 500' foot observation deck has windows on all four sides.

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This tour is an elevator ride to the top. It is worth it and you will probably never get a nother chance. So make a reservation and go. There is a very limited number of people allowed up the monument each day.

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August 2, 1876 Congress appropriates $2 million in federal funds to complete the construction of the Washington Monument. The public funding is contingent upon the transfer of ownership of the monument from The Washington National Monument Society to the federal government.

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5 Things You Might Not Know About the Washington Monument
  • Plans for the monument began even before Washington was elected president. ...
  • The original design for the monument was much different than what ended up being built. ...
  • The monument was once the site of a hostage situation. ...
  • The monument has survived an earthquake.


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Although earthquakes are not frequent in the District of Columbia, it is still possible to experience an earthquake. The District of Columbia can also experience shaking from earthquakes occurring in nearby areas.

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The Washington Monument Looks Like an Obelisk Because of Egyptomania. In a technical sense, the Washington Monument isn't an obelisk, because it isn't made from a single piece of stone. That fact makes it no less impressive. Stretching 555 feet in the air, the Washington Monument is the tallest thing in the city.

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Scholars believe that obelisks represented eternity and immortality, and their long, tapering form functioned to connect the heavens and the earth. Their pinnacles were typically covered in gold to reflect the sunlight.

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The Statue of Unity, which depicts Indian politician and independence reformer Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is now the highest in the world.

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