Video shows lightning striking the Washington Monument. Now it’s closed to tourists

A lightning strike was so intense it forced the Washington Monument to shut down.

The Washington Monument closed to tourists Monday after a lightning strike over the weekend damaged electronics inside.

“The Washington Monument will be closed today as we repair damage to the electronic access system caused by Sunday morning’s lightning strike,” National Park Service officials said on Twitter.

The electronic access system allows National Park Service workers to use a key-card system to get into the building or use elevators, Mike Litterst, a National Park Service spokesperson, told Washingtonian.

Video shows a massive lightning bolt striking the top of the monument as it lights up the National Mall. It was so intense people gasped at the sight, according to the video.

The building has been struck by lightning before, including in 2020, according to The Washington Post.

“The Washington Monument gets struck multiple times every year,” Capital Weather Gang photographer Kevin Ambrose, told The Washington Post in 2020. “But it’s not a common occurrence with every thunderstorm.”

The Washington Monument stands 555 feet tall, according to the National Park Service. It was the tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1884.

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