Standing in the middle of Taman Merdeka, the Monas, literally "National Monument", is a 137m-high obelisk, topped by a flame covered in 35kg of gold. Indonesians associate it with linga and yoni, Hindu symbols of fertility. From the top (a lift takes you up), the panorama of the city can be stunning, if it isn't too misty. At the foot of the edifice, the Liberation Museum houses a series of slide shows charting the highlights of the War of Independence.