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:

Wikipedia

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.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Andy Hay

Historic Site of the week

Argos Theater

The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.

The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.

Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.

Børsen

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Argos Theater