On a Tuesday morning around 8 a.m., a fire broke out at Borsen, the historic Stock Exchange in central Copenhagen. The iconic building, now housing the Chamber of Commerce, was engulfed in thick smoke and orange flames, with the police alerted to the scene. Borsen, commissioned by King Christian IV and built between 1619 and 1640 on the island of Slotsholmen, is one of the oldest buildings in the city. The fire caused the collapse of the 54m high spire in the shape of a spiral formed by the tails of four dragons.
The scenes of the fire and building destruction were reminiscent of the Notre-Dame de Paris fire from five years ago. The Minister of Defense labeled it Denmark’s “own Notre-Dame.” People were seen entering the building to remove large paintings while law enforcement and firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Nearby areas were evacuated, and the country mourned the loss of 400 years of cultural heritage.
The Danish Chamber of Commerce urged people to stay away from the area and confirmed the firefighters’ presence on the site. The old stock exchange had previously survived fires in the surrounding area, with the last major incident in 1990. Although the building is no longer used for stock market activities, it often hosted events and galas.
The exact cause of the fire was not yet known, and investigations were ongoing. The Danish Minister of Culture expressed grief over the loss of cultural heritage, while the Danish embassy in France also reacted to the news. The fire at Borsen was a tragic event that shook the nation and reminded people of the importance of preserving historical landmarks.