The monument to Ismoil Somoni stands near Dousti Square and is the most significant national monument in Dushanbe. The gilded figure of the Samanid ruler on a high plinth represents the Tajik state's claim to continuity with the pre-Mongol Persian-speaking civilization of Central Asia — a claim that is historically complex but emotionally powerful.
The choice of Somoni as national hero over later Tajik figures reflects the state's desire to claim a specifically Persian and pre-Islamic (or at least pre-Turkic) identity for the nation. The area around the monument is a regular gathering point for public events and is illuminated at night.