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.
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 mourning spread throughout Denmark as people lost 400 years of cultural heritage.
The Danish Chamber of Commerce urged people to stay away from the area and confirmed firefighters’ presence on-site. The old stock exchange had previously survived fires in the surrounding area, with the last major incident in 1990. Although it no longer serves its original purpose as a stock market hub, Borsen often hosted events and galas.
The exact cause of the fire remained unknown at that time; investigations were ongoing. The Minister of Culture expressed grief over losing another piece of Danish cultural heritage while also expressing hope for its recovery. The Danish embassy in France reacted similarly, offering condolences for this tragic event that shook Denmark’s sense of history and identity.
