Manama: The Pearl monument at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Roundabout, popularly known as the Pearl Roundabout, was torn down on Friday afternoon.
Last month, the roundabout became the epicentre of the protests that hit Bahrain on February 14 and was used as headquarters for events and speeches.
National landmark
The monument, six white swords representing the six countries of the GCC, adorned at the top with a huge pearl, stating Bahrain as the Pearl of the Gulf, was considered once a national landmark that featured on publications promoting Bahrain.
It lost its marketing significance after the construction of the Bahrain Financial Harbour and the World Trade Centre, the sail-shaped twin towers linked via three wind turbine blades.
In 2007, there was much talk in Bahrain about removing the Pearl Roundabout, one of the three largest in the country, to make way for a six-lane highway and ease traffic congestions in and out of Manama, the capital.
A similar, but much smaller monument, the Map of Bahrain, was removed from its location near Tubli in the south of Manama, to allow the construction of a flyover.
The Map was never put up again, to the chagrin of people who had called for placing it near the exit of the airport in Muharraq.
