One of the top sightseeing opportunities you’ll gain from our private boat tour of NYC is the United Nations Building. This building has fascinated people ever since the ground was officially broken in 1947.
Fun fact: Despite the official groundbreaking ceremony for the UN Secretariat building being held in 1948, construction on the United Nations Building actually began in 1947. This is an example of the many interesting tidbits you’ll find below!
1. The UN Building Has Extraterritoriality
What does ‘extraterritoriality’ mean? Once you enter the United Nations Headquarters, you leave NYC and all its applicable laws and statutes behind. That’s right; despite being located in NYC, the UN Building exists as a law unto itself. In this way, it’s kind of like being in international waters. However, there are still certain U.S. federal laws that can’t be broken within its doors. Two other important facts include:
Some members of the UN staff have diplomatic immunity. In other words, the U.S. court system can’t prosecute them without the consent of the Secretary-General.
The UN Building NYC has a treaty with the U.S. government. This allows it to have and impose its own legal jurisdiction for any actions that take place within its walls.
2. Polyglots Are Wanted Here
A polyglot is an individual who speaks several languages. This is important for the UN due to their usage of six official languages: Spanish, Russian, French, English, Chinese, and Arabic. Each year, there is a day held for each language. In other words, on French day, they only speak French, and so on. This is meant to highlight the UN’s cultural diversity.
3. The Blue Flag Represents Peace
U.S. architect Oliver Lincoln Lundquist, who gained fame by designing the Q-Tip box, was tasked with designing the UN’s logo. If you’ve ever wondered why he chose blue for the flag’s background, you now know that it’s because blue is the color of peace. Lundquist wanted to ensure the UN’s logo was the opposite of war, which is characterized by the color red.
4. The UN Building is Central to Global Diplomacy
Have you ever asked yourself, ‘why is the UN in New York?’ The answer is that New York City provides a central spot for global diplomacy. Plus, NYC is a major city that people from around the world visit, which makes it the best location possible. Other cities that were considered for the UN Building include San Francisco, Boston, and Philadelphia.
5. The Longest UN Speech in History
V.K. Krishna Menon, speaking on behalf of India, took more than eight hours to deliver his speech on India’s Kashmir stance. This was broken into three sessions that took place over two days, January 23 - 24, 1957. By contrast, the second longest speech took approximately four and a half hours, and it was given in one consecutive session by Fidel Castro of Cuba.
6. Movie History Has Been Made Here
One of the more fascinating bits of the United Nations Building history involves Hollywood. Although the building has been notoriously difficult to gain access to for filmmakers, a few exceptions have been made. Most notably, the 2005 political thriller The Interpreter, which became the first movie to actually film inside the UN. Other films include exterior shots in The Glass Wall (1953) and the Oscar Winning documentary First Steps (1947).
7. Alfred Hitchcock Hid a Camera Here
One director who couldn’t gain permission to film at the UN Building was Alfred Hitchcock. Of course, Hitchcock didn’t listen. Instead, he used a hidden camera to capture footage of actor Cary Grant going into the UN Building. In this way, the UN Building made an unapproved appearance in the film North by Northwest.
8. All Mail Must Pass a Security Check
If you’ve ever wondered where the United Nations is located, it has an official street address: United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017. If you send the UN mail, though, be aware that the security check includes sterilization. Due to this, anything that will be degraded by the sterilization process is delivered via a courier.
9. Stunning Artwork Fills the Grounds
Some of the most stunning anti-war artwork fills the grounds of the building’s gardens. Many noteworthy artists have made their mark here, including:
‘Let Us Beat Swords into Plowshares’ – Gifted by the Soviet Union
‘Non-Violence’ – Gifted by Luxembourg
Piece of the Berlin Wall
Japanese Peace Bell
‘Peace’ – Made by Marc Chagall
‘The Golden Rule’ – Venetian mosaic of Norman Rockwell’s art
‘Guernica’ – Jacqueline de la Baume Dürrbach’s copy of Pablo Picasso’s art
General Assembly Hall’s murals – Painted by Fernand Léger
Of note is the fact that one of the murals in the General Assembly was given the name ‘Scrambled Eggs’ by President Harry S. Truman. Meanwhile, the other mural is said to depict a character that’s quite similar to Bugs Bunny.
10. It Takes 90,000+ Employees to Run the UN Building
The UN has more than 90,000 employees that help it run its 12 peacekeeping missions. Among them are civilian workers, police, and soldiers from 125 nations. Keeping these peacekeeping missions afloat requires an annual budget of approximately $6 billion. In order of who gives most, the UN relies most on contributions from the United States, Japan, China, Germany, United Kingdom, and France.
11. The Land Almost Became a Futuristic City
The site of the UN Building almost took a very different path. Real estate developer William Zeckendorf Sr envisioned a ‘X City,’ which was intended to be a self-contained, futuristic city. When it became clear that Zeckendorf couldn’t raise the necessary $8.5 million to bring his dream to fruition, though, he allowed the Rockefeller family to take the land over. Next, the city cleared the land for the cost of $5 million, and then John D. Rockefeller Jr gave them their location for the future United Nations Building.
12. The Universal Definition of Human Rights was Born Here
In 1948, the United Nations came together to create the Universal Definition of Human Rights. This groundbreaking idea was translated into more than 500 languages and, if what it contains was law, the world would be a much different place today. Things it speaks out against include:
Being detained without a charge
Enslavement
Racism
Torture and degrading treatment
Furthermore, it states that ‘all are equal before the law’ and that ‘all are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination.’ Although most of the world doesn’t fully adhere to this definition, it still gives us something to aim for going forward.
See the UN Building from a Boat
Now that you can answer questions such as ‘when was the UN Building built?’ why not celebrate by planning a trip to see the building itself? After all, there are many other fascinating facts and figures about the United Nations left for you to uncover.
New York Harbor Tours offers private boat tours of New York City, including the United Nations Building. Our 6-passenger and 16-passenger vessels will give you a unique view of the UN, plus other must-see sites such as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty.
Book your tour now and get ready for the best boat ride experience of your life!
FAQ
What are 5 facts about the United Nations?
The UN Building has extraterritoriality, meaning it operates under its own legal jurisdiction separate from New York City laws.
The UN has six official languages: Spanish, Russian, French, English, Chinese, and Arabic, with each language celebrated annually on a designated day.
The iconic blue background of the UN flag symbolizes peace, designed by architect Oliver Lincoln Lundquist.
The longest speech in UN history was delivered by V.K. Krishna Menon in 1957, lasting over eight hours.
The grounds of the UN Building feature stunning anti-war artwork, including the Japanese Peace Bell and a piece of the Berlin Wall.
How old is the UN building?
The construction of the United Nations Building began in 1947, and the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Secretariat Building occurred in 1948. This makes the building over 75 years old.
How much did the UN building cost?
The site for the United Nations Building was purchased by John D. Rockefeller Jr. for $8.5 million, which he donated for the project. The cost of constructing the complex itself was approximately $65 million.
What are the four main buildings of the United Nations?
The four main buildings in the United Nations complex are:
General Assembly Building – Where representatives from all 193 member states convene.
Secretariat Building – Houses the administrative offices and staff of the UN.
Conference Building – Used for meetings, conferences, and committee sessions.
Dag Hammarskjöld Library – Contains a vast collection of documents and books related to the UN's mission and history.