Dominating the south end of Queen's Park, the imposing sandstone Legislative Building typifies the solidity and mass of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. Also called the Parliament Buildings, this seat of provincial government opened in 1893 after a controversial six-year, million-dollar construction. The focus of the dispute, American-based architect Richard Waite (1846-1911) had awarded himself the project after serving as a judge in a fizzled design competition. The ponderous exterior belies the interior's elegant beauty, particularly the white-marbled west wing, rebuilt after a fire in 1909, and the stately legislative chamber with its rich mahogany and sycamore. On view is the 200-year-old mace (ground floor), a ceremonial gold "club" mandatory at House proceedings. Taken by the Americans during their 1813 assault on York, it was returned years later by President F.D. Roosevelt.