Occupying the northern side of the square and still dominating its environment is the House of Knights ("Riddarhuset"), a Swedish equivalent to the British House of Lords. While the building was begun by the French-born architect Simon de la Vallée in 1641 (a year before his dramatic death), the façade is largely the work of the Dutch architect Justus Vingboons (1620–1698) in 1652-1656, and the original roof the design of the son of the former Jean de la Vallée (1620–1696) in 1656-1674, the entire composition completed by Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz (1716–1796) in 1762. The entire composition reflects the decreasing influence of Swedish nobility during the transition from the era of Swedish Empire to the Age of Liberty; the original intentions, including towers on the corners and wings, reduced to the present Corinthian pilasters projected on a plain bricked wall, centred on the temple gable motif. Before the small garden in front of the palace was created to the design of Isak Gustaf Clason (1856–1930) in the 1910s, Riddarhuset formed the scenic background for what was the country's political centre. In front of the building stands the statue of King Gustav Vasa.