One of the main sights and symbols of Ashgabat is the Arch of Neutrality, erected in honor of the neutrality of Turkmenistan gained in December 1995. 75-meter structure was installed on the central square of Ashgabat in 1998. Arch is crowned by a huge gilded statue of the first President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov (Turkmenbashi) with uplifted hands and rotating in the direction of the sun. The monument is protected by a guard of honor. In 2008, the Government of Turkmenistan has decided to move the monument on the southern outskirts of the city on the prospect of the same name - Bitarap Turkmenistan (Neutral Turkmenistan).