Iconic Copenhagen Stock Exchange in Denmark Ravaged by Fire

The historic old stock exchange building in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark, has been consumed by fire. 

Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt lamented the loss, stating that 400 years of Danish cultural heritage had been destroyed in the flames.

The 17th Century Børsen, one of the city's oldest structures, witnessed its iconic dragon spire collapsing onto the street, leaving onlookers in shock. 

Members of the public rushed to rescue historic paintings and it took hours before the fire was under control.

The building, dating back to 1625, is a stone's throw from Denmark's parliament, the Folketing, housed in the old royal palace of Christiansborg castle. Danish media noted that the nearby square was being evacuated and the main entrance to Christiansborg was closed because of smoke.

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. Its director, Brian Mikkelsen, said as much as half of the old stock exchange had burned down but vowed that it would be rebuilt "no matter what".

Henrik Grage, a local craftsman, expressed his sorrow, stating, "This is akin to our Notre-Dame," drawing parallels to the fire that devastated the iconic cathedral in the heart of Paris almost precisely five years ago. 

The Parisian fire ignited beneath the eaves of Notre-Dame on April 15, 2019, coinciding with ongoing renovations shrouded in scaffolding. Investigators attributed the cause to either an electrical short circuit or a worker's improperly discarded cigarette.

One of the craftsmen replacing brickwork on the building saw the fire break out on the roof while he was on the scaffolding. Ole Hansen said he shouted to his colleagues they needed to get down and that he left the door unlocked for firemen to get in.

Fire department chief Jakob Vedsted Andersen said firefighters faced an almost impossible task accessing the area under the old copper roof. It was not until Tuesday afternoon that he said the fire had been brought under control, although much of the building was burned out.

"Furniture, floor partitions and everything that could burn has been affected by the fire," he said.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke of "terrible images" and of a piece of Danish history going up in flames.

Local museum inspector Benjamin Asmussen said 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.

Camilla Jul Bastholm from Denmark's National Museum said that several hundred works had been rescued and taken into storage under escort. Among the prized works rescued was an 1895 portrait by PS Krøyer of 50 Danish men of commerce standing inside the building in their top hats. Ornate chandeliers, mirrors and some clocks were also recovered.

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 centre.

The famous spire featured four dragons whose tails were twisted into a spear and three crowns, symbolising close ties with neighbours Norway and Sweden.

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