VarwoFlatiron Building Meaning: Why the New York Landmark Has Its Name
Flatiron Building Meaning: Why the New York Landmark Has Its Name. A source-based guide to identity, use and limits.
New York's Flatiron Building is associated with the shape of an old flat iron: its narrow triangular form fits the wedge where Broadway and Fifth Avenue meet. The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission record connects the name to that shape.
Was Flatiron its original name?
The Library of Congress guide calls it the Fuller Building and dates the building's construction to 1902. “Flatiron” became the familiar name people use for the landmark and the surrounding district.
Building and neighbourhood
The building is a specific landmark; the Flatiron District is the wider area around it. HISTORY notes that the triangular area was called “Flat Iron” before construction, so the nickname has a neighbourhood history as well as a visual explanation. Sources checked November 7, 2026.