This week, a crowd watched as four engineers repelled off the top of the 555-foot Washington monument in order to assess the damage from the August 23rd 5.8 earthquake. The extent of the damage remains unknown, though visible cracks along the top of the obelisk have warranted serious assessment. The four engineers climbed out of the windows in the top of the monument in order to test for chips and cracks. Armed with digital camera, iPads and soft-headed mallets, the engineers may continue through the week.

The monument is closed indefinitely until experts and engineers can fix the damage, however the monument is still a spot on our Monuments and Monuments@Nite tour! Come learn about the history of the monument from our friendly tour guides and enjoy the splendor of the monument lit up at night.

Special thanks to CBS News