Memorial park · Ashgabat

Monument “Baky şöhrat” (Eternal Glory)

AT A GLANCE

Why go?

The Monument "Baky şöhrat" (Eternal Glory) is Ashgabat's primary war memorial, honoring the Turkmen soldiers who fell during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. Anchored by an eternal flame encircled by five monumental octagonal steles, it stands as the architectural and emotional heart of the vast Halk Hakydasy (People's Memory) Memorial Complex in southwestern Ashgabat. A permanent guard of honour watches the flame around the clock, underscoring the site's living significance in Turkmen national life.↗↗↗

Originally unveiled in 1970 to mark the 25th anniversary of Victory and once located in central Ashgabat under the name "Eternal Flame," the monument was dismantled during park reconstruction in 2014 and rebuilt at its current site with a striking new design. Rising to a symbolic height of 45 meters — representing the year 1945 — the monument now commands a position at the center of a memorial park that also commemorates victims of the catastrophic 1948 Ashgabat earthquake and the fallen of the 1881 Battle of Geok Tepe.↗↗

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Memorial park · Ashgabat

Monument “Baky şöhrat” (Eternal Glory)

Ashgabat, TM 4.9 (8 Google reviews)

Photo: Google Maps

AT A GLANCE

Why go?

The Monument "Baky şöhrat" (Eternal Glory) is Ashgabat's primary war memorial, honoring the Turkmen soldiers who fell during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. Anchored by an eternal flame encircled by five monumental octagonal steles, it stands as the architectural and emotional heart of the vast Halk Hakydasy (People's Memory) Memorial Complex in southwestern Ashgabat. A permanent guard of honour watches the flame around the clock, underscoring the site's living significance in Turkmen national life.↗↗↗

Originally unveiled in 1970 to mark the 25th anniversary of Victory and once located in central Ashgabat under the name "Eternal Flame," the monument was dismantled during park reconstruction in 2014 and rebuilt at its current site with a striking new design. Rising to a symbolic height of 45 meters — representing the year 1945 — the monument now commands a position at the center of a memorial park that also commemorates victims of the catastrophic 1948 Ashgabat earthquake and the fallen of the 1881 Battle of Geok Tepe.↗↗

↗

From Central Ashgabat to a Grand Memorial Park

For over four decades after its unveiling in 1970, the Eternal Flame monument stood in the heart of Ashgabat, one of the capital's most recognizable landmarks. Veterans, schoolchildren, and government delegations laid wreaths here each May on Victory Day. In 2014, as part of a sweeping reconstruction of the city's central park district, the original monument — four 27-meter steles arranged like an unfolding flower — was carefully dismantled and its memorial flame relocated to the purpose-built Halk Hakydasy complex on elevated ground in the southwest.↗↗

The rebuilt version, officially named Baky şöhrat by presidential decree on October 5, 2014, is notably different: five steles of a new form surround an eternal flame atop a base shaped like an eight-pointed star. The overall monument reaches 45 meters in height, a deliberate numerical tribute to the year victory was won. A Turkish construction firm, Polimeks, completed the entire 650,000-square-meter complex, which opened the following day with the President in attendance.↗↗↗

What You'll See

The Baky şöhrat monument commands the central position within the memorial complex. The eternal flame burns at its heart, ringed by the five massive octagonal steles that taper skyward. A guard of honour is posted at the monument around the clock, their presence lending the site an unbroken ceremonial gravity. The base takes the form of a Turkmen eight-pointed star, a motif drawn from national symbolism that connects the monument to the flag-inspired geometry of the wider complex.↗↗

At night, the complex is illuminated by searchlights, giving the steles a dramatic silhouette visible from across the southern part of the city. The surrounding landscape includes fountains, lawns, flower beds, paved paths, decorative lamps, and benches — a deliberately maintained space of stillness that contrasts with the bustling city beyond its grounds.↗↗

Flanking the Baky şöhrat on the same star-shaped platform are two companion monuments: the Ruhy Tagzym (a bronze bull sculpture memorializing the 1948 earthquake victims) and Milletiň ogullary (a mother holding her fallen son, honoring heroes of other battles for the Turkmen homeland). Together, the three monuments form a unified narrative of national sacrifice and resilience.↗↗

A Living Site of Memory

The Baky şöhrat is not a dormant relic. Each year on Memorial Day (October 6), the President of Turkmenistan and government officials lay wreaths at the eternal flame in a ceremony broadcast on national television. In 2020, the 75th anniversary of Victory was marked with Turkmenistan's first-ever post-independence military parade, held at the complex. Wreath-laying by visiting foreign dignitaries — including Russian Prime Minister Mishustin in 2023 — keeps the site at the center of diplomatic protocol.↗↗↗

Visitors describe the flame as a symbol of the immortality and memory of those who fell — an unbroken connection between past sacrifice and present gratitude. The sense of reverence here is genuine rather than performative, and the constant guard of honour reinforces that this remains a functioning national memorial.↗↗

Visiting the Monument

The Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex is open at all hours and free to enter. Evening visits offer the most atmospheric experience, when the searchlights bring the monument's geometry alive and the eternal flame glows at full effect. Spring and autumn provide the most comfortable temperatures for walking the landscaped grounds.↗↗

The complex sits in a residential area of southwestern Ashgabat on elevated ground. It is best reached by taxi, as surrounding streets are not well signed for visitors. The adjacent "Watan mukaddesligi" museum (with halls covering the earthquake and the war) is worth combining with a monument visit, though displays are primarily in Turkmen and Russian.↗↗

Visitors should observe respectful behavior: this is a genuine site of national mourning. Quiet contemplation, measured photography, and awareness of ceremonial activities — particularly around Memorial Day in October and Victory Day in May — are appropriate.↗↗

What makes it special

01

Eternal flame guarded around the clock by an honour guard↗

02

Five octagonal steles rising 45 meters — the height symbolizes 1945↗↗

03

Base shaped as an eight-pointed star, a Turkmen national symbol↗

04

Centerpiece of a 650,000 m² memorial park honoring three defining moments of Turkmen history↗

05

Originally erected in 1970 for the 25th anniversary of Victory; rebuilt in new form in 2014↗↗

A little planning goes a long way

Visit in the evening for the most powerful atmosphere — the monument is dramatically floodlit and the eternal flame glows with full intensity.↗
Take a taxi to the complex; the southwestern location is not easily reached on foot and surrounding streets are poorly signed for visitors.↗
The complex is open 24 hours and admission is free.↗↗
Pair your monument visit with the adjacent Watan mukaddesligi museum, which has dedicated halls for the war and the 1948 earthquake (displays in Turkmen and Russian).↗
If timing allows, visit around October 6 (Memorial Day) or May 9 (Victory Day) to witness wreath-laying ceremonies — but expect crowds and maintain respectful quiet.↗↗

About this guide

Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below; this is not a first-hand visit. Place details collected October 5, 2026. Hours, access and ratings can change; confirm with the venue before visiting.

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W8P7+Q7W, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

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Opening hours +

As reported by Google Maps. Confirm holiday hours before you go.

Friday: Open 24 hours
Monday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours

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