The Arch of Neutrality monument in Turkmenistan has become an urban symbol which serves as a powerful reference point in the city. The inspiration for the Arch was the traditional Turkmen trivet – a stable tripod, used for holding a boiler, under which a fire is kind-led. In the project the trivet was transformed into three widely curved pylons connected by disks and rings of different diameters and thickness.
These are the viewing sites, located on different levels, where a perfect panorama of Ashgabat opens up. Visitors are transported to the first level by funiculars. The transparent lift takes visitors to 70 meters, where the upper viewing platform is situated. At 83 meters, there is a 12 m sculpture of Saparmurat Turkmenbasi on a background of a fluttering flag. The Arch of Neutrality reaches a total of 95 meters, making it the highest construction in Turkmenistan, above the 600 year old Kutlug Timur minaret.
The Arch of Neutrality is decorated with white marble and with bronze relief compositions from Turkmen history on the sides of Pylons. Vertical sections of the pylons between the upper and lower survey sites are combined with five identical bronze rings, each featuring relief lattices with images of “Ghels”-basic carpet elements from the various Turkmen tribes. It should be mentioned that the Arch of Neutrality of Turkmenistan is an excellent example of so called light architecture.
