Fire Engulfs Historic Stock Exchange Building in Copenhagen, Denmark

Denmark’s historic old stock exchange building in the centre of Copenhagen has been engulfed by fire.

The 17th Century Børsen is one of the city’s oldest buildings and onlookers gasped as its iconic spire collapsed in the flames.

400 years of Danish cultural heritage lost in the fire

Culture minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said 400 years of Danish cultural heritage had gone up in flames.

Intense fire damages the historic stock exchange

The old stock exchange was being renovated and had been shrouded in scaffolding and protective plastic covering. It currently houses the Danish chamber of commerce, which described the scenes on Tuesday morning as a terrible sight. Local craftsman Henrik Grage told Danish TV that it was a tragic day. “This is our Notre-Dame,” he said, comparing it with the fire that engulfed the roof and spire of the cathedral in the centre of Paris almost exactly five years ago. The cause of the fire in Copenhagen is yet unknown, and investigators will be working to determine the specifics.

Efforts to save valuable historic treasures

Members of the public joined emergency services, as well as chamber of commerce director Brian Mikkelsen, in rushing into the building to save the Børsen building’s substantial art collection. Local museum inspector Benjamin Asmussen told Denmark’s TV2 that the fire was difficult to watch, as the old stock exchange was filled with paintings of Danes who had played important roles since the 17th Century. The fire department chief said all the paintings and other valuable items that were possible to save had been brought out.

Significance of the Danish stock exchange building

The Dutch Renaissance-style building on the city’s Slotsholmen, or palace island, was commissioned by Denmark’s King Christian IV with the aim of turning Copenhagen into a major trading center. The famous spire featured four dragons whose tails were twisted into a spear and three crowns, symbolizing the close ties with neighboring Norway and Sweden.

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Image caption 1: Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard

Image caption 2: Ida Marie Odgaard/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock