The United Nations

The United Nations' headquarters is currently located in the heart of New York City, providing enough office space to accommodate 3,400 employees, all of which are dedicated to the betterment of global humanity. Located along the East River in the Turtle Bay area, the United Nations headquarters is located on extraterritorially land, providing a select group of foreign travelers with diplomatic immunity and special privileges. Constructed in 1949 and 1950 thanks to the donation of $8.5 million by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the UN building features three distinctive buildings: The Secretariat, which boasts 39 floors of office space, the General Assembly building, and the Dag Hammarskjold Library. All three buildings combine to provide world leaders with a power place of deliberation and planning. Discount car rental New York City tourists are invited to visit the UN building during their upcoming vacation, and are strongly encouraged to participate in either a self- or professionally-guided tour of the establishment.

What is the UN?

The United Nations is an international organization designed to deal with economic development, international security, international law and social equity. Founded in 1945, the UN is now supported by over 191 separate states, including virtually every internationally-recognized independent country. Divided into numerous administrative bodies including the UN General Assembly, the UN Security Council, the UN Economic and Social Council and the UN Secretariat, as well as the International Court of Justice and the UN Trusteeship Council, the United Nations was founded at the end of the Second World War with the intentions of preventing further warfare. If you would like to learn more about the United Nations and their current global commitments Prestige Car Rental encourages you to pick up the copyrighted “Basic Facts About the United Nations” guide book, currently on sale at most book stores for approximately $15.

Attractions at the UN Building

The United Nations' Building is home to numerous tourist attractions, providing travelers with tons of exciting statistics and informative facts. When you first approach the UN Building in your car rental, van rental or SUV rental in New York, be sure to keep an eye out for the impressive flag display lining First Avenue. This display, which runs from 48th to 42nd Street features the flag of every UN member state, beginning with Afghanistan and ending with Zimbabwe. The flags are only raised when the members are in congress inside the UN’s General Assembly building. The United Nations' Building is also home to a handful of signature art pieces, each of which symbolizes one of the organizations humanitarian ideals and focuses. As you enter the UN Building’s plaza off of First Street you will find one of the UN’s most famous art pieces – a gun with a knotted barrel. This structure, which symbolizes the end of violence, was donated by Luxenbourg ten years ago and is fittingly called “Non-Violence”. Other donated pieces include the Japanese Peace Bell, which was made by coins collected by the children of 60 different countries, and the Chagall Stained Glass Window at the east end of the Public Lobby. The Foucault Pendulum, and artifacts from the nuclear holocaust in Hiroshima and Nagasaki can also be seen within the UN’s main lobby, along with numerous other works of significance.

The park located across the street from the UN Building is also worth driving to in your affordable car rental from Prestige, as it houses numerous international exhibits. One of the most prominent pieces was donated by the Soviet Union in 1959 and is entitled “Let US Beat Swords into Plowshares”.

Learn more about the United Nations organization.