The Turkmenistan Independence Monument, also known as the Monument of Neutrality, is a monument located in the capital city of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. It was built in 1998 to commemorate the country's independence from the Soviet Union, which occurred in 1991.
The monument stands at a height of 75 meters (246 feet), and its main feature is a statue of former Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov, who ruled the country from 1991 until his death in 2006. The statue of Niyazov rotates slowly to face the sun throughout the day.
The monument was designed by architect Boris Fyodorov and was built at a cost of approximately $12 million. It has 8 arches, each representing one of Turkmenistan's provinces, and a gold-plated statue of Niyazov on top. The monument also contains a conference hall, a museum, and a panoramic view of the city.
In 2010, the government of Turkmenistan decided to remove the statue of Niyazov from the top of the monument and replace it with a golden globe. The decision was made as part of a broader effort to distance the country from the cult of personality surrounding Niyazov, who had named himself "Turkmenbashi" (meaning "Father of the Turkmen").