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United Nations headquarters, view from East River
The United Nations headquarters is a distinctive complex in New York City that has served as the United Nations's headquarters since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood, on the east side of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River.
The complex includes three major buildings: the Secretariat (the 39-floor office tower), the General Assembly building (where all member nations of the United Nations meet in the UN General Assembly), and the Dag Hammarskjöld Library. It is also notable for its gardens and outdoor sculpture.
The site of the United Nations Headquarters is considered international territory, which means local laws do not apply. In addition, many of the diplomats working there have diplomatic immunity and so cannot be prosecuted by local courts. In the 1990s, however, the New York City government took steps to force diplomats to abide by local laws when living and traveling outside the UN headquarters, especially those concerning parking ticket s and drunk driving.
The land for the headquarters was donated by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The United Nations Headquarters was designed by a team of 11 architects headed by Wallace K. Harrison and Le CorbusierLe Corbusier ( October 6, 1887 August 27, 1965) was the pseudonym of Charles Edouard Jeanneret-Gris . He was an architect famous for what is now called the International style, along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius, and Theo van Doesburg.. Work on the complex was begun in 1947Events January January 1 British mines nationalized January 1 Nigeria gains limited autonomy January 1 The Canadian Citizenship Act went into effect January 3 Proceedings of the United States Congress are televised for the first time. January 10 United Na and completed in 1952, although the Dag Hammarskjöld Building was added in 19611961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first "upside-down" year i. one that looked the same upside down since 1881, and the last until 6009. Events January January 1 The farthing coin, used since the 13th century, cease.