The Palais des Nations is the European headquarters of the United Nations and the second-largest UN complex in the world after New York. It sits in the 45-hectare Ariana Park on the northern shore of the lake, surrounded by manicured lawns and a view of Mont Blanc when conditions are clear. The complex processes millions of documents per year and hosts some 10,000 meetings annually — it is, in other words, a working office building, not a monument.
That said, it is open for guided tours, which run daily from April to October and on weekdays the rest of the year. Tours cover the main Assembly Hall, the Council Chambers (decorated by Catalan artist Josep Maria Sert), and the park with its iconic Broken Chair sculpture — a giant wooden chair with a shattered leg, installed outside the main entrance by the NGO Handicap International as a protest against landmines. Booking in advance is advisable. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum is a 10-minute walk south.