World Monuments Fund (WMF) expresses deep sadness over the loss experienced by the people of Denmark after a major fire that destroyed the Boersen Building in Copenhagen on Tuesday, April 16.

The Boersen building, which once housed the Danish stock exchange, is among the oldest buildings in Copenhagen and was an indelible part of the character of the so-called “City of Towers.” Its iconic dragon spire, a beloved local landmark, was consumed in the blaze. In addition to its architectural and historic significance, the Boersen building also housed an art collection of immense national importance, parts of which were likewise damaged in the fire. 

WMF is committed to promoting fire safety at historic buildings and has compiled a library of resources on fire safety and suppression at heritage sites. After the fire at Notre-Dame, the site was selected for the 2020 World Monuments Watch, and we organized a multi-day workshop on the subject in partnership with French firefighters and craftsworkers.

Our team is monitoring the situation in Copenhagen closely in order to assess if WMF’s expertise can be of service at this time.