Børsen
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. Lorenz died shortly after receiving the commission, so his brother Hans took over the project. Work progressed rapidly through the early 1620s with most of the main structure finished by 1624. Only the spire and east gable details remained incomplete until 1640. The resulting architecture became a leading example of Dutch Renaissance style in Denmark.
The building housed forty trading offices at ground level plus one large upper room during its early years. It functioned as a marketplace throughout the late 1620s before becoming a formal stock exchange. 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. The interior received renovations in 1855 under architect Harald Conrad Stilling. In 1857 Frederick VII transferred ownership to Grosserer-Societetet for seventy thousand rigsdaler. The facility served as the Danish stock market until 1974 when operations moved elsewhere. By 2024 the structure housed headquarters for the Danish Chamber of Commerce.
Four intertwined dragon tails formed the distinctive spire that reached approximately thirty meters above the roofline. 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. A new spire replaced the original in 1775 due to collapse risks while maintaining similar design elements. The copper roof contained heat during fires but also made firefighting difficult. Scaffolding surrounding the structure caught fire making access harder for emergency crews. Military personnel supported firefighters on site while additional machinery removed sections of the roof.
Peder Severin Krøyer created a large group portrait titled From Copenhagen Stock Exchange displayed within the halls. Thomas Kluge produced a newer version featuring thirteen committee members from the Chamber of Commerce. Lorenz Frølich contributed four charcoal drawings depicting work justice courage and love as virtues. C.F. Høyer painted a scene in 1810 while Anton Melbye completed another work in 1863. Christian Mølsted added his contribution in 1890 and William Scharff exhibited Badende ved stranden in 1939. These pieces dated back centuries before the April 2024 fire destroyed much of the collection's context.
A blaze erupted on the 16th of April 2024 during renovation work on the main building's copper roof. The fire destroyed about half the structure and caused the iconic spire to collapse completely. No casualties occurred despite the severity of the damage. Neighboring buildings had burned multiple times including one incident in 1992 that affected nearby structures. The scaffolding around Børsen caught fire complicating efforts to reach the flames inside. A portion of the north facade and part of the west gable collapsed on the 18th of April. Police later ruled out criminal acts though they could not determine the exact cause of ignition.
Several hundred historic artworks escaped destruction thanks to staff emergency workers and passers-by who acted quickly. The National Museum sent twenty-five employees to assist with retrieving art from the burning site. A two-tonne bust of King Christian IV was lost during the chaos while paintings survived. Brian Mikkelsen CEO of the Danish Chamber of Commerce declared the building would be rebuilt no matter what. Deputy Prime Minister Troels Lund Poulsen called it their own Notre Dame moment occurring five years after Paris suffered similar loss. King Frederik X released a statement calling the event sad for Copenhagen's four-hundred-year-old landmark. Reconstruction began on the 26th of September 2024 when King Frederik X laid a foundation stone.
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Common questions
Who commissioned the construction of Børsen in Copenhagen?
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.
When did construction begin and finish for the main parts of Børsen?
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.
What happened to the distinctive dragon spire of Børsen during the April 2024 fire?
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.
How much did Christian IV sell the property to merchant Jacob Madsen for in 1647?
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.
Who designed the four intertwined dragon tails that formed the distinctive spire of Børsen?
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.