Broken Chair (Place des Nations)

The Broken Chair is a monumental wooden sculpture on the Place des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, directly opposite the main gate of the Palais des Nations, the European headquarters of the United Nations. Standing about 12 metres tall, it shows an ordinary dining-style chair with one leg blown apart and splintered. It was created by the Swiss artist Daniel Berset, with the carpenter Louis Genève, and installed in 1997 on the initiative of the non-governmental organisation Handicap International to coincide with the campaign leading to the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel landmines. The sculpture was meant to be temporary, but it proved so popular that it remained, and it has since become a symbol of the campaign against landmines and cluster munitions. Visitors see the chair from the open square, where the scale is easiest to appreciate from a few metres back, and can walk around it to read the commemorative plaque. Behind it, the long rows of flags of UN member states line the approach to the Palais des Nations, creating a strong image for photographers. A low angle from the base of the chair, with the flags and the palace gates behind, is the classic composition; late afternoon light is flattering for the wood. A stop takes only 15 to 20 minutes, which is why most visitors combine it with a guided visit to the Palais des Nations, the nearby Botanical Garden or the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, all within walking distance. The square is open 24 hours with no entry charge. Crowds are modest outside the summer tourist season, though school groups and tour buses often stop briefly at midday. On days when UN conferences or demonstrations are held, the square can be busier and some areas may be cordoned off. Security around the neighbouring UN site is tight, so large bags and tripods may draw attention near the gates. The square is a popular meeting point for rallies and marches, adding to its role as a civic symbol.