Børsen

What Børsen is

Børsen is Copenhagen's old stock exchange, a 17th-century Renaissance building on the island of Slotsholmen, right next to Christiansborg Palace. King Christian IV had it built as a trading hall; after 21 years of construction it opened in 1640. It was designed by the Dutch architects Hans and Lorenz van Steenwinckel, on a foundation of countless oak piles driven into the island's marshy ground.

The building is best known for its dragon-tail spire (Dragespiret): four intertwined dragon tails that rose 56 metres into the sky, topped by three crowns representing the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The Danish name is properly spelt "Børsen" with an Ø — "Borsen" is just the ASCII version. In English it's known as "The Old Stock Exchange".

The 2024 fire and the rebuild

On 16 April 2024, a major fire broke out at Børsen. The blaze destroyed the iconic dragon-tail spire and large parts of the roof and building — images of the collapsing spire made headlines around the world. No one was injured, and most of the artworks and historic objects were rescued from the burning building.

Børsen has been under reconstruction ever since. As of 2026 it's a scaffolded building site and closed to visitors. There's no officially confirmed reopening date yet; the owner, Dansk Erhverv (the Danish Chamber of Commerce), posts updates at sammenomborsen.dk.

What to expect today

Even without access to the interior, the walk to Slotsholmen is worthwhile:

• The facade, with its richly decorated gables and bay windows, can be viewed from outside at any time. It looks best from the canal side (Børsgade, or Børsbroen towards Christiansborg).
• Since 26 February 2026, there's a free visitor centre (Besøgscenter): an exhibition inside 15 raised, interconnected containers with views over the construction site and parts of the Børsen facade. It's run by Dansk Erhverv.
• A walk around Slotsholmen links Børsen with the neighbouring sights — the island itself is a public space that's freely accessible; only the construction fencing around the building is closed off.

If you were hoping to see the interior and the spire, adjust your expectations: for now, Børsen is a photo subject and a story, not a building you can enter.

Visiting & practical details

The Besøgscenter is at Børsgade 4, 1215 København K and is open Mon–Fri from 14:00 to 18:00, and Sat–Sun from 11:00 to 16:00. Admission is free. Guided tours of the centre can be arranged by email in advance. The centre is step-free and lift-accessible; there are no toilets, refreshments or a cloakroom on site.

Viewing the facade from outside takes 10 to 15 minutes; allow 45 to 60 minutes if you add the visitor centre and a stroll around the island.

Getting there & combining your visit

Børsen sits centrally on Slotsholmen in Indre By, Copenhagen's city centre, just a few minutes' walk from the Central Station. Right next door stands Christiansborg Palace with its free viewing tower, and close by are the National Museum of Denmark and the Royal Library with its "Black Diamond" building. The colourful harbour front of Nyhavn and Holmens Kirke are also within walking distance — so Børsen makes an easy stop on a walking tour through the historic centre.

For trip planning, see the overview of attractions and the guide to the Copenhagen Card.