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Copenhagen's fire-ravaged former stock exchange, one of the Danish capital's most famous landmarks, should be restored to its former glory, officials said.
The 400-year-old building was undergoing renovation when the fire broke out on Tuesday, destroying its iconic tower.
In a joint statement, the city mayor and district mayors said: “We cannot do without the stock exchange.”
Danish Chamber of Commerce Director Brian Mikkelsen pledged to rebuild it “no matter what.”
The room currently occupying the building described the scenes that occurred on Tuesday morning as a horrific scene.
Copenhagen Mayor Sophie Historp Andersen, together with six district mayors, said in their statement that rebuilding one of Copenhagen's most famous attractions requires a joint effort.
“Therefore, we will contact the Danish Chamber of Commerce and enter into a dialogue about what we can do,” they added.
“This is part of the story of how our city was built, so we will do everything we can to rebuild it,” Ms. Andersen said.
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Officials say half the building is more or less burned out. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Emergency services director Jacob Fedsted Andersen said officials were trying to understand the extent of the damage.
Emergency services said the fire started early Tuesday morning under the copper roof and destroyed the red-brick building. More than 100 firefighters struggled to control the flames.
They said they are still working to stabilize the walls and monitor unaffected areas.
The building is undergoing renovation to celebrate its 400th anniversary, and the scaffolding surrounding it has made the firefighters' operation more difficult.
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Another factor that increased the difficulty was the structure of the building itself. Officials said that since its roof was made of copper, water simply flowed out of it.
They said the fire was most intense around the high tower.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told public radio DR that it was painful to see “hundreds of years of history burned.”
King Frederick X said in a statement that the country woke up to a “sad sight.”
The building, a major tourist attraction, houses historical paintings and furniture. Pictures from the scene showed several people carrying art pieces to safe areas.
Danish Culture Minister Jacob Engel-Schmidt wrote on the
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