Massive Fire Engulfs Denmark's Historic Stock Exchange Building

Published: 16 April 2024 at 08:49

Business

Denmark's old stock exchange building, The Brsen, dating back to the 17th century, was engulfed in a massive fire in Copenhagen. The building's distinctive 56-meter spire shaped as the tail of four entwined dragons collapsed during the blaze. Emergency responders evacuated people from the building, and no injuries were reported. The Danish Chamber of Commerce, located in the building, described it as a terrible sight as the fire spread to all floors through the elevator shaft. The fire caused significant damage to 400 years of cultural heritage in Denmark.

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Børsen (Wikipedia)

Børsen (Danish for "the Exchange"), also known as Børsbygningen ("The (Stock) Exchange building"), is a 17th-century stock exchange in the center of Copenhagen. The historic building is situated next to Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament, on the island of Slotsholmen.Built under the reign of Christian IV in 1619–1640, the building is considered a leading example of the Dutch Renaissance style in Denmark. It is a protected building for conservation purposes.Børsen, a popular tourist attraction, was most noted for its distinctive spire, shaped as the tails of four dragons twined together, reaching a height of 56 metres. In April 2024 the building was badly damaged by fire, which toppled the spire.

Copenhagen (Wikipedia)

Copenhagen ( KOH-pən-HAY-gən, -⁠HAH- or KOH-pən-hay-gən, -⁠hah-; Danish: København [kʰøpm̩ˈhɑwˀn] ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of around 660,000 in the municipality and 1.4 million in the urban area. The city is on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the Øresund strait. The Øresund Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road.Originally a Viking fishing village established in the 10th century in the vicinity of what is now Gammel Strand, Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the early 15th century. From the 17th century, it became a regional centre of power with its institutions, defences, and armed forces. During the Renaissance the city was the de facto capital of the Kalmar Union and the seat of monarchy, governing most of the present day Nordic region in a union with Sweden and Norway ruled by the Danish monarch serving as the head of state. The city flourished as the cultural and economic centre of Scandinavia under the union for over 120 years, from the 15th century until the early 16th century when Sweden left the union through a rebellion. After a plague outbreak and fire in the 18th century, the city underwent redevelopment. This included construction of the prestigious district of Frederiksstaden and founding cultural institutions including the Royal Theatre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. After disasters in the early 19th century when the British Royal Navy attacked the Dano-Norwegian fleet and bombarded the city, rebuilding during the Danish Golden Age brought a Neoclassical look to Copenhagen's architecture. After the Second World War, the Finger Plan fostered the development of housing and businesses along the five urban railway routes emanating from the city centre.Since the turn of the 21st century, Copenhagen has seen strong urban and cultural development, facilitated by investment in its institutions and infrastructure. The city is the cultural, economic and governmental centre of Denmark; it is one of the major financial centres of Northern Europe with the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. Copenhagen's economy has developed rapidly in the service sector, especially through initiatives in information technology, pharmaceuticals and clean technology. Since the completion of the Øresund Bridge, Copenhagen has increasingly integrated with the Swedish province of Scania and its largest city, Malmö, forming the Øresund Region. With several bridges connecting the various districts, the cityscape is characterised by parks, promenades, and waterfronts. Copenhagen's landmarks such as Tivoli Gardens, The Little Mermaid statue, the Amalienborg and Christiansborg palaces, Rosenborg Castle, Frederik's Church, Børsen and many museums, restaurants and nightclubs are significant tourist attractions.Copenhagen is home to the University of Copenhagen, the Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen Business School, and the IT University of Copenhagen. The University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, is the oldest university in Denmark. Copenhagen is home to the football clubs F.C. Copenhagen and Brøndby IF. The annual Copenhagen Marathon was established in 1980. Copenhagen is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world.Movia is the public mass transit company serving all of eastern Denmark, except Bornholm. The Copenhagen Metro, launched in 2002, serves central Copenhagen. Additionally, the Copenhagen S-train, the Lokaltog (private railway), and the Coast Line network serve and connect central Copenhagen to outlying boroughs. Serving roughly 2.5 million passengers a month, Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup, is the busiest airport in the Nordic countries.

Antisemitism on the Rise in Denmark Since Gaza Conflict

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Danish navy vessel's faulty missile prompts closure of airspace and shipping traffic in Great Belt strait

A technical error on a navy missile on a Danish frigate has led to the closure of airspace and shipping traffic in the Great Belt strait, a major shipping route in Denmark. The missile launcher is activated and cannot be deactivated, posing a risk of the missile firing and flying a few kilometers away. Ships have been warned to avoid the area due to the risk of falling missile fragments. The incident follows the dismissal of Denmark's top military official after a previous frigate malfunction last month in the Red Sea.

Danish Chamber of Commerce (Wikipedia)

The Danish Chamber of Commerce (Danish: Dansk Erhverv) is the network for the service industry in Denmark and one of the largest professional business organisations in the country. It is headquartered in Børsen in Copenhagen and has additional offices in Aarhus and Bruxelles.

Nasdaq Copenhagen (Wikipedia)

The Nasdaq Copenhagen, formerly known as the Copenhagen Stock Exchange (Danish: Københavns Fondsbørs), is an international marketplace for Danish securities, including shares, bonds, treasury bills and notes, and financial futures and options.Nasdaq Copenhagen is one of the Nasdaq Nordic Exchanges. Nasdaq Nordic goes back to the 2003 merger of OM AB and HEX plc to form OMX and is, since February 2008, part of Nasdaq, Inc. (formerly known as NASDAQ OMX Group).

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