Copenhagen mayors call for rebuilding of iconic stock exchange destroyed in fire

The blaze has been dubbed the Danish capital’s own “Notre Dame” tragedy

The firefighting operation that aims to control and save as much of the historic Børsen, as the building of the Old Stock Exchange is known in Copenhagen, will likely go on for the next 24 hours. However, the mayor of the Danish capital, together with six district mayors, has already issued a statement calling for the rebuilding of the iconic landmark of the city skyline that has stood prominently since the 17^th century.

“It's an absolutely terrible day. The stock exchange is not just an important part of Denmark's entire cultural history. The building represents so much more, not least craftsmanship quality and traditions. All that is now in flames, the mayors state in a joint statement,” says the statement issued by the mayoral group, as quoted by KobehavnLiv.

The Dutch Renaissance building, which was undergoing restoration, went up in flames earlier today with the blaze consuming its beautiful spire, which was witnessed and filmed crashing down. The tragedy was eerily reminiscent of the fire which destroyed the spire of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, almost exactly to the day five years ago (15 April 2019).

Too early to evaluate the Copenhagen Old Stock Exchange damage

The mayors, led by Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, said that the tragedy should unite the capital’s society to work together in rebuilding one of Copenhagen’s best-known attractions.

“We will therefore reach out to the Danish Chamber of Commerce (which owns Børsen, ed.) and enter into a dialogue about what we can do,” says the mayors’ statement.

The Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt was more cautious in his comment on the situation, saying that it is still too early to talk about a possible rebuilding of the Old Stock Exchange since the damages cannot be evaluated before the fire has been put out.

He stated on X, though, that his comment shouldn’t be understood as an official government position and that he “will do everything I can so that the dragon spire will once again tower over Copenhagen."

The minister referred to the iconic spire whose design featured the interlocking and spiralling tails of four dragons.