The 384-Year-Old Danish Steeple Collapsed by Fire

"Most of the Building Severely Damaged"
"Exact Cause of Fire Remains Unidentified"

Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

A fire broke out at the old stock exchange building, a representative cultural heritage site of Denmark, causing the 384-year-old spire to collapse.

According to Reuters and The New York Times (NYT), on the morning of the 16th (local time), a fire at the ‘Børsen’ (old stock exchange) building in Copenhagen, Denmark, damaged the spire, causing some debris to fall onto the street, resulting in significant damage.

When the fire broke out, employees of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, the building’s owner, firefighters, and passersby urgently moved the cultural assets inside the building outside. Soldiers from the Royal Life Guards set up barricades around the building and began transporting and storing valuable items such as cultural assets.

The building, designed in the Dutch Renaissance style, is called ‘Børsen.’ It was constructed in 1640 under the direction of King Christian IV and is a representative cultural heritage of Denmark. It currently housed the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce. According to local media, the Chamber of Commerce was conducting restoration work to revive the building’s original architectural style.

A fire department official stated, "Although most of the building was severely damaged, fortunately, almost all of the cultural assets and valuables were safely moved outside." Fire authorities responded urgently at the early stage of the fire and controlled the major flames but continued extinguishing efforts throughout the night. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The police plan to begin an investigation once access to the building is possible.