A spectacular fire broke out on Tuesday April 16 in the old Copenhagen Stock Exchange (the Børsen). The historic 17th-century building caught fire, causing its iconic 54-metre-high spiral spire to collapse. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.
The fire apparently broke out around 7:30 a.m. at roof level, via a stairwell. More than a hundred firefighters were dispatched to the scene and everyone present inside was evacuated. The monument's spire, decorated with four dragon tails topped with three crowns, collapsed around 8:30 a.m. Local media reported that “several detonations coming from inside the building” also sounded.
Headquarters of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, the Old Stock Exchange also houses a collection of works of art, mainly composed of sculptures and paintings by Danish artists such as Christian Faedder Høyer (1775-1855). Several works were saved and put in a safe place in the Danish Parliament, located right next door. Table From the Copenhagen Stock Exchange by Peder Severin Krøyer (1851-1909) is one of them.
The former Copenhagen Stock Exchange (the Børsen) in 2016.
The roof material and scaffolding around the building made extinguishing the fire difficult. “It’s a copper roof, and it was just impossible to get in.” explains Jakob Vedsted Andersen, director of emergency services. “The fire therefore had plenty of time to intensify and spread throughout the building”. In the middle of the day, the still active blaze threatens to destroy the facades of the monument. “The facades are still standing, but they are starting to give way under the effect of the fire” he then indicated. “We do everything we can to protect them, but we cannot give any guarantees”.
Sophie Haestorp Andersen, the mayor of Copenhagen, assured that they “will try to rebuild the building”in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce.
The Copenhagen Stock Exchange was built under King Christian IV between 1619 and 1640, making it one of the oldest landmarks in the Danish capital. It was being renovated to commemorate its four centuries of existence. The work included a new copper roof, replacing the facade bricks and restoring the building's sandstone decorations. They were due to be completed in the fall of 2024.
