The Washington Monument has been a tourist favorite for more than a century. The 555-foot obelisk in the US capital reopened recently after nearly three years of renovation and repairs to the 1884 structure.

The improved monument facility features a new blast-proof, glass and steel security screening and a new elevator system. The renovations followed another long period of repair after a 2011 magnitude 5.8 earthquake caused extensive damage to the structure. If your tourist wanderings include the nation’s capital city, spend some time at the towering tribute to our first president.