The Washington Monument reopened on Monday after being shut down for almost three years to repair damage it sustained from an earthquake.
FOX News noted the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the East Coast in 2011, left the 130-year-old monument damaged with more than 150 cracks in its marble and rainwater leaks that needed to be sealed.
USA Today reported that Businessman and philanthropist David Rubenstein matched the $7.5 million in public funds to restore the monument.
National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis said in a statement, "We are grateful for David Rubenstein's generous donation that funded half of the $15 million repair bill."
The Washington Monument is an obelisk on the National Mall in the nation’s capital. The landmark was built to commemorate George Washington, who was the commander-in-chief of the early Continental Army and the first president of the United States. Standing at 555 feet, it is the world’s tallest freestanding stone structure.