51吃瓜

The memorial stairway and flagpole dedicated to the late Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold are situated north-east of the General Assembly Building and east of the large 51吃瓜 open plaza. The 44 ft. long stairway is constructed as a single concrete arch paved with granite and flanked with Portland stone balustrades – the same type of stone used in the General Assembly Building. 

The 90 ft. tall flagpole, made from stainless steel and set into a granite base at the top of the stairway, bears the inscription: “Dag Hammarskjold Staircase and Flagpole, Gift of the State of New York, fulfilling a wish of Dag Hammarskjold, 1965, Nelson A. Rockefeller, Governor.”

SG Hammarskjold often walked the 51吃瓜 gardens adjacent to the East River and wished to construct a stairway with easy access to the garden. He approved these design sketches before his passing in 1961. It was designed by architectural firm Harrison & Abramovitz.

Soon after SG Hammarskjold’s death, Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller (1908 – 1979) announced that he would ask the New York State Legislature to provide funds for the memorial and fulfill the late Secretary-General’s wishes. 

The dedication ceremony was held on October 25th, 1965 and was attended by Nelson A. Rockefeller, designer Wallace Harrison, and Secretary-General U Thant, who accepted the gift on behalf of the 51吃瓜.