Fire destroys Copenhagen’s 400-year-old historic Danish stock exchange

Onlookers joined workers to bravely salvage prized artworks as a massive fire tore through a famous landmark in Denmark.

A fire has swept through one of Denmark’s oldest buildings, destroying the 17th century Old Stock Exchange as horrified onlookers tried to save art treasures inside.

The 54-metre spire crashed atop the Borsen building, which was undergoing renovations, smashing into the street below in front of emotional witnesses.

“This is our Notre-Dame! This is a national treasure,” local resident, 45-year-old Elisabeth Moltke, told AFP as she watched the blaze.

“A lot of old Danish paintings, originals are in there. I’ve been in there several times and it’s a magnificent building so it makes me feel very emotional”.

The tower of the historic Boersen stock exchange stands in flames in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Picture: Ritzau Scanpix / AFP

Other witnesses watched in tears as more than 100 firefighters battled to save the building on Tuesday.

Police blocked off parts of the city centre as part of the firefighting efforts.

King Frederik posted a message to the Danish royal family’s Instagram account, which translated to English says: “This morning we woke up to a sad sight, when smoke over Copenhagen’s roofs bore witness to the devastating fire at Borsen. An important part of our architectural cultural heritage was and continues to be in flames.”

People carry historical paintings out of the burning building, as the Stock Exchange burns in Copenhagen, Denmark. Picture: Ritzau Scanpix / AFP

The message continued to mourn the loss of the “dragon spire” as a “beautiful symbol of our capital”.

“The Queen and I would like to thank all those who, since early this morning, have ensured that no one has been injured, and who have fought to save as much as possible of both the building as well as the many cultural treasures and works of art that Borsen contains.”

People carry paintings out of the historic Boersen stock exchange building as it is on fire in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Picture: Ida Marie Odgaard / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP / Denmark OUT

The fire started under the red-brick building’s copper roof, emergency services told reporters.

As flames and huge plumes of black smoke billowed from the rooftop, fire trucks surrounded the building, covered in scaffolding and canvas, which today houses the Danish Chamber of Commerce.

Plumes of smoke billow from the historic Borsen stock exchange building which is on fire in central Copenhagen. Picture: Ritzau Scanpix / AFP / Denmark OUT

Danish rescue services said that they could not give “any guarantees” that the facade of the building could be saved.

“The facades are still standing, but they are starting to give way as the construction burns away,” director of emergency services Jakob Vedsted Andersen told reporters.

“We are trying everything we can to protect the facades, but we cannot give any guarantees,” he added.

People react as the Stock Exchange building burns in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Picture: Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark OUT

“It’s a copper roof, and it’s simply impossible to get under that roof, so the fire has plenty of time to build intensity,” Vedsted Andersen told the Ritzau news agency.

The Borsen building, close to the Christiansborg parliament and seat of government, was commissioned by King Christian IV and built between 1619 and 1640. It is one of Copenhagen’s oldest and best known landmarks.

A woman reacts to a fire in the historic Borsen building in central Copenhagen, Denmark. The building was erected in the 1620s by King Christian IV and is located next to the Danish parliament. Picture: AFP

Housing a vast art collection, it was being renovated to celebrate its 400th anniversary.

“Terrifying images from Borsen this morning. 400 years of Danish cultural heritage going up in flames,” Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The images recalled the disaster at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, almost five years ago to the day it was gutted by a fire. In Paris as well, onlookers shed tears as fire brought down the ancient spire.

A fireman tries to extinguish the flames as smoke billows from the historic Boersen stock exchange building. Picture: Ritzau Scanpix / AFP

Witnesses in Copenhagen also fought to hold back tears as they watched the devastation.

“I’m lost for words … It’s a 400-year-old building that has survived all the other fires that burned Copenhagen down to the ground,” said Carsten Lundberg, an employee at the Danish Chamber of Commerce.

Plumes of smoke billow from the historic Borsen stock exchange building which is on fire in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Picture: AFP

“It’s a dreadful loss,” Lundberg said, adding that what was inside were “things that you cannot put a price on … priceless paintings, statues.”

Danish military were called to the scene to try to evacuate artworks.

The most valuable paintings in the building were quickly moved to the nearby National Museum of Denmark.

The historic Boersen Stock Exchange after the blaze in Copenhagen. Picture: Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark OUT

Speaking outside the burning building, Copenhagen mayor Sophie Haestorp Andersen said the city and the Danish Chamber of Commerce had already decided to try and restore the building, however the details, including funding, would have to be decided.

“This is part of the story of the building of our city, a story that we can’t just leave in a sea of flames, and therefore we will do everything we can to rebuild this,” she told reporters.

Echoing the sentiment, Engel-Schmidt said he would “do everything I can so that the spire will once again tower over Copenhagen.”

Originally published as Fire destroys Copenhagen’s 400-year-old historic Danish stock exchange