The Washington Monument, one of Washington, D.C.'s, most iconic landmarks, reopened on Thursday after several years of renovations.

The 555-foot (169-meter) tall marble obelisk named for the nation's first president has received an upgrade to the elevator, as well as a new permanent screening facility, according to a release by the National Park Service.

First lady Melania Trump attended Thursday's reopening.

The monument has been closed for most of the past eight years. An earthquake in 2011 left cracks in the stones near the top of the obelisk.

It reopened in 2014, but authorities were forced to close it again in 2016 due to elevator malfunctions.

Construction on the Washington Monument started in 1848, but wasn't completed and opened to the public until 1888.

When completed, it was the tallest building in the world but was soon overtaken by Eiffel Tower in 1889.

It remains the tallest building in Washington D.C. and attracts about 500,000 visitors per year when opened.

(Cover: The Washington Monumnet. /VCG Photo)