Broken Chair Amusement Park

Address: Broken Chair (Place des Nations), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

Admission: Free (public sculpture)

Broken Chair is a large public sculpture on the Place des Nations plaza in Geneva, Switzerland, notable for its single broken leg and anti-landmine symbolism. It was installed in the late 1990s and is a permanent, highly visible public artwork outside the United Nations’ European headquarters.

The sculpture is a single-piece timber chair about 12 metres high sitting on the plaza in front of the Palace of Nations; it serves as both a photo subject and a political symbol. Its scale and central plaza location make it one of the most photographed public artworks in Geneva and a frequent rallying point for disarmament and humanitarian demonstrations.

Commissioned by a humanitarian organisation and created by Swiss artists and craftsmen in the 1990s, the piece was erected to draw attention to the humanitarian impact of landmines and to support global disarmament efforts. It has remained in place since its installation and has become associated with Geneva’s international institutions.

Situated on Place des Nations in the international district of Geneva, the sculpture stands directly in front of the Palace of Nations and faces the jetée and the park areas that front the UN complex.

• Size and location: Stands approximately 12 metres tall on the Place des Nations plaza directly in front of the Palace of Nations, making it highly visible from the UN complex and nearby streets.
• Best viewpoints: Photographs that include the Palace of Nations work best from the plaza or the opposite side of Avenue de la Paix; the monument is accessible at all hours.

The Broken Chair sculpture stands on Place des Nations in front of the Palais des Nations (United Nations) in Geneva. It’s reachable on foot from Geneva Cornavin station in about 20-25 minutes (around 1.5-2 km), or you can take local city buses that stop at or near ‘Nations’ and walk a few minutes to the square. From Geneva Airport it’s a short taxi ride or a direct bus connection to the Nations area.

• Go early morning or late evening for photos with fewer tourists and softer light; the sculpture sits directly on the Place des Nations, so visiting outside peak daytime hours gives unobstructed views and reflections with the UN buildings.
• Arrive via the Nations tram stop and approach from Parc des Nations to get a clean foreground for photos-many people only see the sculpture from the busy roundabout and miss the park-side perspective.
• Be aware that the area outside the Palace of Nations can host demonstrations or UN-related events; if planning a peaceful photo shoot or prolonged visit, check local news or the UN calendar for scheduled activity.