In Denmark, the stock exchange building from 1625 burned down (17 photos + 1 video)

One of the oldest buildings in Copenhagen caught fire during reconstruction. In the early morning of April 16, there was a "massive explosion" and flames engulfed the Börsen stock exchange. Local residents could not hold back their tears when the 56-meter spire in the shape of intertwined dragon tails collapsed.





“It’s just terrible. It was one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. I pass here every day. It’s like Notre Dame,” one eyewitness said in an interview with the DR television company.

"Very sad. An iconic building that means a lot to all of us," Danish Deputy Prime Minister Troels Lund Poulsen wrote in X.



Firefighters and military personnel arrived at the scene and began saving national relics.

“400 years of Danish cultural heritage is on fire,” said Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt.

The fire started on the copper roof, spread to most of the structure and destroyed the premises.





Firefighters said the firefighting efforts would last at least 24 hours.

"It's too dangerous to fight a fire inside the building. Our plan is to block the fire so it doesn't spread to the other half," said Jakob Vedsted Andersen, who is leading the emergency operation.











“This is our Notre Dame, this is our national treasure!” - exclaimed Elisabeth Moltke, a 45-year-old resident of Copenhagen who watched the fire.





Employees of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, which was housed in the building, began to save the extensive art collection. Chamber of Commerce Chairman Brian Mikkelsen commented: "We saved a lot."

In photographs from the scene, the group removes the monumental painting "Fra Kjöbenhavn Beurs" by Peder Severin Kroyer.





There were no reports of casualties. Ambulances arrived at the scene. The exact cause of the fire is currently unknown.





The building, dating from 1625, was being reconstructed and the original façade needed to be restored.

The building's roof was clad in copper in the 1800s, as much of the original lead sheathing was cut out to make cannonballs during the Swedish occupation of 1658-59.



The architectural creation, built by order of Christian IV, was considered an example of the Flemish Renaissance.



It is noteworthy that yesterday Queen Margrethe II of Denmark turned 84 years old. It was her first birthday after abdicating the throne.