There is also a deeper symbolism of the complex. The monument is placed on the five-step pyramid, which symbolizes five centuries of Ottoman occupation of Serbia. Caryatids actually represent mothers of the fallen soldiers, who are keeping the peace and sanctity of the burial place. The monument is also one of the rare such venues which is located outside of the town center. King Alexander wanted to transform the top of the Avala into the replica of the Kajmakčalan mountain which gained almost mythical importance after the 1916 Battle of Kaymakchalan between Serbia and Bulgaria, and was euphemistically called Gate of the Homeland or the Altar of the Motherland. The monument was to represent the relocated commemorative chapel from Kajmakčalan and even plants which grow on that mountain, or resemble it, were planted around the monument. During the 1934-1938 period when the monument was built, the surrounding area was also forested with the specific species of conifers. They were specifically ordered from the botanical garden in Munich, Germany. A certain number of trees was donated to Yugoslavia personally by Adolf Hitler.