Washington Monument lit up during repairs (VIDEO)

Still under repair following earthquake damage in 2011, the Washington Monument got its glow back Monday night.

America's great obelisk was set aglow again when National Park Service officials flipped the switch on 488 lamps illuminating the monument following a 10-second countdown on the National Mall.

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The lamps will be lit at dusk each night while the monument is closed for the next year.

"It's kind of like the Eiffel Tower," local resident Jack Spirakes told WRC.

A large crowd of spectators oohed and ahhed as the lamps began lighting up from the bottom of the monument. Many snapped pics and took to Facebook and Twitter to document the unveiling.

"The Washington Monument's new lighting is stunning! 'Under Construction' never looked so good!" tweeted Chase Johnson.

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National Mall Superintendent Bob Vogel told The Associated Press the lighting marks a milestone in the years-long effort to restore and reopen the monument to President George Washington.

"We know that our visitors are disappointed that they can't actually go up in the monument," he said. "So, we hope that this will make up for it just a little."

Many stones near the top of the monument chipped or cracked, and mortar was shaken loose, during the 5.8-magnitude earthquake that shook most of the East Coast on Aug. 23, 2011.

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.