Monument of Independence of Kazakhstan

The Golden Warrior Monument stands on Republic Square in the former capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty. The monument celebrates the independence of Kazakhstan, the identity of its people, and the role of the city of Almaty as capital of Kazakhstan until 1997 when the capital moved to Astana. The statue, a Saka warrior and a barys, stands atop a 91 feet tall column.The design of the monument was inspired by Kazakh folklore and the 1969 archaeological discovery of an 18 year old Second or Third Century BC Saka or Scythian noble buried in a golden suit of armor with a sizable hoard of gold, earning him the moniker "Golden Man".The column is framed with artistic casting crate, which describes the historical events of Kazakhstan.