| NYC has been the site of the United Nations | | | | Conference Building, the Secretariat building, and the |
| Headquarters since 1952. The complex is located on | | | | Dag Hummarskjold Library. When the Secretariat |
| the east side of Midtown Manhattan in the Turtle Bay | | | | building was first erected, it was controversial and met |
| neighborhood, overlooking the East River. The 18 acre | | | | with a huge public outcry. In time, the building has |
| site is an international zone which belongs not to the | | | | become a modernist landmark. The Dag |
| U.S., but to all member states; this makes for some | | | | Hummarskjold Library is named after the Swedish |
| complicated legal rhetoric. The actual earth underneath | | | | United Nations Secretary-General, and is connected to |
| the building belongs to the United States, but the United | | | | the Secretariat and Conference buildings through |
| Nations Headquarters site is granted extraterritoriality | | | | ground-level and underground tunnels. In 1945, after the |
| status, meaning that it is exempt from local jurisdiction. | | | | Second World War, the United Nations was founded |
| However, this does not grant immunity to those who | | | | to replace the League of Nations. Fifty countries |
| commit crimes at the Headquarters, as they must | | | | signed the United Nations charter, hoping that it would |
| remain under the jurisdiction of the United States. The | | | | ultimately help them avoid war and intervene in |
| physical address is 760 United Nations Plaza, New | | | | international conflicts. The UN Security Council consists |
| York, NY, 10017; all mail received at this address is | | | | of five permanent members who have the power to |
| sterilized. The land for the United Nations Headquarters | | | | veto any United Nations resolution. The five members |
| was purchased by the Rockefeller family and donated | | | | are representatives from countries who were |
| to New York City. Wallace Harrison, the lead architect | | | | victorious in the World War II: Russia, France, China, the |
| on an international team, designed the buildings and | | | | United States, and the United Kingdom. The United |
| was also the Rockefellers' personal architectural | | | | Nations has its own emergency services-security, fire |
| advisor. Prior to constructing this complex, the United | | | | department, and postal administrators. Visitors often |
| Nations Headquarters was temporarily housed at Lake | | | | send postcards from the UN building, as it is the only |
| Success, NY, on Long Island. Because the buildings | | | | place in the world to get the distinctive United Nations |
| need to be repaired, some members have suggested | | | | stamp. Guided tours of the facility operate daily from |
| that a new temporary location be erected at the Lake | | | | the General Assembly Public Lobby. The tour shows |
| Success site or a Brooklyn location; others suggest | | | | the main Council Chambers, the General Assembly |
| building a permanent replacement facility where the | | | | Hall, and art of the member states of the United |
| World Trade Center towers once stood. Construction | | | | Nations. The United Nations complex is notable for its |
| of the United Nations Headquarters was financed by | | | | outdoor sculptures and gardens, including the "Knotted |
| an interest-free loan from the United States | | | | Gun" sculpture, a gift from Luxembourg, and the |
| government. The Headquarters consists of four main | | | | former USSR's "Let Us Beat Swords Into Plowshares. |
| buildings-the General Assembly building, the | | | | |