Ashgabat, Neutrality Monument

Monument of Neutrality (Turkmen: Bitaraplyk arkasy) was a monument located in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The three-legged arch, which became known locally as "The Tripod", was 75 meters (246 ft) tall and was built in 1998 on the orders of Turkmenistan's President Saparmurat Niyazov to commemorate the country's official position of neutrality. It cost $12 million to construct. The monument was topped by a 12-meters (39 ft) tall gold-plated statue of Niyazov which rotated to always face the sun. The arch was located in central Ashgabat where it dominated the skyline, being taller than the nearby Presidential Palace. The statue was illuminated at night. The arch featured a panoramic viewing platform which was a popular attraction for visitors.
After the death of Saparmurat Niyazov, Arch was dismantled and moved as a Neutrality Monument to the southern part of Ashgabat, in the foothills of the Kopetdag. This action was completed by the 20th anniversary of independence of Turkmenistan. The height of the new monument, opened on December 12, 2011, was 95 meters, which is 20 meters higher than the former Arch.