Ontario Legislative Building

Ontario Legislative Building Review

Like City Hall, this home to the provincial parliament was the product of an international contest among architects, in this case won by a young Briton residing in Buffalo, New York. The 1893 Romanesque Revival building, made of pink Ontario sandstone, has a wealth of exterior detail; inside, the huge, lovely halls echo half a millennium of English architecture. The long hallways are hung with hundreds of oils by Canadian artists, most of which capture scenes of the province's natural beauty. Take one of the frequent tours to see the chamber where the 130 MPPs (members of Provincial Parliament) meet. The two heritage rooms—one each for the parliamentary histories of Britain and Ontario—are filled with old newspapers, periodicals, and pictures. The many statues dotting the lawn in front of the building, facing College Street, include one of Queen Victoria and one of Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. The lawn is also the site of Canada Day celebrations and the occasional political protest. These buildings are often referred to simply as Queen's Park, after the park surrounding them.