The three legs
White and slanting.
Ekki3 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bayram A — CC BY-SA 4.0 · John Pavelka from Austin, TX, USA — CC BY 2.0 · Hans Birger Nilsen — CC BY 2.0 · Hans Birger Nilsen — CC BY 2.0
The Monument of Neutrality is a white three-legged tower in Ashgabat, known locally as «The Tripod», built at 75 metres in its original form. It is among the capital's most distinctive sights, combining a memorial and an observation tower. A broad platform, reached by inclined lifts inside the legs of the arch, gives you a rare view of the city. It was built in 1998 to mark the country's official position of neutrality, by the Turkish firm Polimeks at a cost of 12 million dollars. It first stood in the city centre, topped by a 12-metre gilded statue that rotated to face the sun. In 2010 it was dismantled and moved to the southern suburbs, where it was put back together and still stands. From below you see three slanting white legs carrying a glass cylinder, lit in pink and white at night. From the upper platform the view runs over broad roads and orderly gardens, then the city's white marble towers with the Kopet Dag behind. Before the monument lies a stepped square with flags and guards. The National Museum is about 1.4 km away in a straight line. The UK Foreign Office notes that guards at the presidential palace may stop photos, and it is wise to avoid official buildings generally, so ask the guards, and ask before photographing people. Use a taxi, as distances are long on this side of town. Evening is the best time for photos, with the lights on.
White and slanting.
Roads, gardens and towers.
Pink and white.
Southern Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Usually yes by the inclined lifts, so check at the entrance that they are running.
It may be limited near official buildings, so ask the guards first.