United Nations Headquarters

The United Nations Plaza is a complex of buildings in New York City. It serves as the headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1950. The landmark structure within the complex is the United Nations Secretariat Building.

The United Nations Plaza is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood, on the east side of Midtown Manhattan, overlooking the East River. It is bordered by First Avenue to the west, East 42nd Street to the south, East 48th Street to the north and the East River to the east. FDR Drive passes underneath the Conference Building of the complex.

United Nations Plaza, New York City
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UN_HQ_157652121_5b5979da9e2.jpg
Author: Gryffindor


The United Nations Plaza were constructed between 1949 and 1950 on seventeen acres of land purchased from real estate developer, William Zeckendorf through arrangements made Nelson Rockefeller. The $8.5 million purchase was funded by his father, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who donated it to the City. The lead architect for the building was the real estate firm of Wallace Harrison, the personal architectural adviser for the family.

When deciding on the design of the headquarters, the UN decided to commission a collaborative effort among a multinational team of leading architects. American architect Wallace Harrison was named the director of planning, and a board of design consultants was nominated by member governments. The board consisted of N.D. Bassov of the Soviet Union, Gaston Brunfaut (Belgium), Ernest Cormier (Canada), Le Corbusier (France), Liang Ssu-cheng (China), Sven Markelius (Sweden), Oscar Niemeyer (Brazil), Howard Robertson (United Kingdom), G.A. Soilleux (Australia), and Julio Villamajo (Uruguay). The committee considered 50 different designs and selected the one by Le Corbusier, known as Scheme 23A.

Dag Hammerskjöld Library, United Nations
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dag_Hammarskj%C3%B6ld_Library_0856.jpg
Author: Gryffindor


The complex comprises the iconic 38-storey Secretariat Tower, the domed General Assembly Hall, the Dag Hammarskjöld Library, as well as the Conference and Visitors Center. Just inside the perimeter fence of the complex stands a line of flagpoles where the flags of all 192 UN member states as well as the U.N. flag are flown in English alphabetical order.

The Secretariat Building was controversial when it was completed, but today is a modernist landmark. Its east-west walls are covered with thermopane glass except for the 6th, 16th, 28th and 38th floor, while its north and south walls are covered with Vermont marble.

Lobby, UN General Assembly
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lobby_UN_GA_0946.jpg
Author: Gryffindor


The site of the United Nations Plaza has extraterritoriality status, similar to embassies. This affects some law enforcement where UN rules override the laws of New York City, but does not give immunity to crimes that take place there. Additionally, the United Nations Plaza also remains under the jurisdiction and laws of the United States, although a few members of the UN staff have diplomatic immunity and so cannot be prosecuted by local courts unless the diplomatic immunity is waived by the Secretary-General.

The currency used at the United Nations headquarters' businesses is the U.S. dollar, and the languages on many of the signs are English and French. The complex has a street address of 760 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA.

United Nations General Assembly Hall
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UnitedNations_GeneralAssemblyChamber.jpg
Author: ChrisErbach

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