Børsen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Børsen (The Stock Exchange) was built by Christian IV in 1619–1640 and is the oldest stock exchange in Denmark. It is particularly known for its Dragon Spire shaped as the tails of fourdragons twined together, reaching a height of 56 metres.

Christian IV had ambitions to turn Copenhagen into a metropolis and to strengthen the city's position as a commercial centre, he wanted a stock exchange along with the new merchant town Christianshavn he was constructing on the other side of the harbour. He asked Lorentz and Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger to design a building in Dutch renaissance with 40 small stalls at the ground floor and one big room at the upper floor.

The building was restored by Nicolai Eigtved in 1745 and internally renovated in 1855. It housed the Danish stock-market until 1974. In 1918, unemployed anarchists attacked Børsen, an attack that went to the Danish history books as 'stormen på Børsen' (the storm at the stock exchange).

References:

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User Reviews

LB DK (15 months ago)
Simply a beautiful building (by King Christian the 4th of Denmark) with a ton of storytelling. Did you know that Christian 4th had 21 children... Now - that's a family man allright ?

World Proven (2 years ago)
NOTE: Borsen is currently undergoing maintenance (picture attached) as of November 2023.

Hataichanok Unphon (2 years ago)
I visited during the culture night in Copenhagen. It’s highly recommended by my friends. It’s a beautiful historical place in town.

Dejan Braki (2 years ago)
CPH stock exchange is more or less an average Scandinavian brick edifice, but what stands out is the roof with its spire. The spire is a twisted Dragons tail with its claws embracing the Dome - very beautiful and unusual. I think you cannot visit it as it's currently under renovation, but do pass by to see it as it's in the vicinity of Christianborg Palace in downtown CPH

ThePhyllistan (3 years ago)
Awesome is not a word enough to describe this architecture built in 17 centuries.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Mark1792

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Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.

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