The Unisphere, located at the center of the radial pathways in the northern half of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, was commissioned for the New York World's Fair of 1964-65. Designed by landscape architect Gilmore D. Clarke (1892–1982) and erected by the American Bridge Division of the United States Steel Corporation, the 350-ton, 120-foot-diameter globe was the centerpiece and icon of the fair. The sphere features representations of the continents and major mountain ranges in relief, and is encircled by three giant orbital rings that represent the tracks of early satellites. The capital cities of the world are marked by lenses which, during the fair, were illuminated by flashing lights. The Unisphere celebrated both the dawn of the space age and the fair’s broader theme of “Peace Through Understanding". It has since become a beloved symbol of Queens. - NYC Parks Dept.