Short answers, pulled from the story.
King Christian IV of Denmark commissioned a new building in 1619 to strengthen Copenhagen's role as a trade center. The king chose Lorenz van Steenwinckel to design the structure on an embankment connecting Copenhagen to Christianshavn.
Construction began in 1620 after the ground stabilized and most of the main structure was finished by 1624. Only the spire and east gable details remained incomplete until 1640.
The iconic spire collapsed completely when a blaze erupted on the 16th of April 2024 during renovation work on the main building's copper roof. A new spire replaced the original in 1775 due to collapse risks while maintaining similar design elements before this destruction.
Christian IV sold the property to merchant Jacob Madsen for fifty thousand Danish rigsdaler in 1647. Frederick III later reacquired it from Madsen's widow who could no longer afford maintenance costs.
Fireworks master Christian IV designed these dragons to protect the building from enemies and fire. Three crowns sat atop the twisting tails symbolizing the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.