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Old Stock Exchange (Børsen)
One
of the oldest buildings in Copenhagen is the Old
Stock Exchange – situated on the island of Slotsholmen and
built by King Christian IV (1577-1648 – ruled
Denmark and Norway 1588-1648) in 1619-1640. The
King was called the great builder and architect of Copenhagen, and
had the ambitions to turn Copenhagen into a financial and
trade centre by creating this magnificent building that
housed the Danish stock-market until 1974.
| The
exchange hall from 1858 was once the market-place for
merchants with small shops and booths selling corn and
all types of merchandise. |
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| The
present exchange hall, where some of the daily stock notings
took place until 1974, is used today as Banquet and Conference
facilities. |
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Fascinating Landmark in 1640
The Old Stock Exchange (Børsen) is built on the gravel filled
embankment and dam to Christianshavn, where the foundations were laid
on wood piles, which is still supporting the existing construction
from that time. The impressive building was placed by King Christian
IV right at the entrance to Copenhagen as a
prestigious landmark to mark the growth and wealth of the
city and to impress Danish as well as foreign merchants that arrived
from the sea side. The building had a quay on both sides for easy
and direct access to the market with goods and other merchandise from
the shipside.
| The
Stock Exchange in 1842, with a quay on both sides for
easy and direct access from the shipside to the marketplace
on the first floor. |
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| The
stock noting in 1936 was carried out only by men at the
Old Stock Exchange, here in one of the small corner rooms.
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Marketplace and spire in Dutch Renaissance Architecture
The
Stock building was designed in the Dutch Renaissance style with
its prominent spire of four dragons with their
tails twisting towards the top and ending in a spear with three
crowns representing The Kalmar Union between Denmark
– Norway and Sweden symbolizing
the close relationship among the three Nordic countries. The tower
and spire is almost 60 meters high and the entire
building has survived all of the great fires that have ravaged Copenhagen
up to date.
After the completion of the Stock building in 1640,
the great hall inside was filled up with 40-50
small shops and booths, which was rented by striving merchants selling
everything from corn to all types of merchandise, and on the entrance
the King wrote in brief - that he had created a marketplace for
the profitable use of buyers and sellers.
| The
tower on the Stock Exchange with the famous "Dragon-spire"
symbolizing the union of the Nordic countries, with three
golden crowns on top of the 60 meter high tower construction. |
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| The
prestigious old Stock building is still resting on the
original foundations of wooden piles from 1619, and the
property has survived all the great fires that razed Copenhagen
during the past. |
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The first preserved building in Denmark
After
several wars and in deep debt King Christian IV mortgaged the complete
building in 1647 to a wealthy Danish merchant named
Jacob Madsen - but later his son King Frederik III (1609 -1670 –
ruled Denmark and Norway 1648-1670) purchased the property back to
the Royal Family. In 1857 King Frederik VII (1808
-1863 – ruled Denmark 1848-1863) sold the entire Stock estate
to the Merchants' Guild and according to the deed
between the two parties - The Old Stock Exchange (Børsen) became
the first preserved building in Denmark. In 1987
the Merchants' Guild turned into the Danish Chamber of Commerce and
is still the firm owner of the Old Stock Exchange.
Location
The Stock Exchange is located beside Christiansborg Palace
and the Danish Parliament "Folketing" and
opposite Holmens Church and Knippels Bro
(Knippels Bridge).
| The
Old Stock Exchange
Address
Børsen (Old Stock Exchange)
Børsgade
1217 Copenhagen K
Busses:
2A - 40 - 66 - 350S
Metro
– Christianshavn Station – Kongens Nytorv
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