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Reflected back at me, I can see myself in oversized gilded pantaloons, perceptible just for my eyes. Children relax in a stone basin imitating sea nymphs, and in the next room resides a talking pea in a exhibition box, beside a imposing mound of mattresses. It represents the domain of the beloved author (1805-1875), among the nineteenth-century's highly cherished writers. I’m in this Danish town, on the island of the island of Fyn in the south of the Danish kingdom, to discover the author's timeless impact in his home town many decades after his demise, and to find a few magical stories of my own.

The Museum: HC Andersens Hus

Andersen's House is the local exhibition space dedicated to the storyteller, incorporating his childhood house. A museum representative notes that in earlier iterations of the museum there was little focus on Andersen’s stories. His personal history was examined, but Thumbelina were nowhere to be found. For visitors who come to the city seeking fairytale wonder, it was somewhat disappointing.

The renovation of the city center, rerouting a major road, provided the opportunity to reconsider how the city’s most famous son could be honored. A prestigious architectural challenge granted Japanese firm the Kengo Kuma team the project, with the innovative curatorial vision at the center of the design. The remarkable wooden museum with interwoven spiral spaces opened to significant attention in 2021. “We have attempted to create a space where we don’t talk about Andersen, but we communicate similarly to the storyteller: with wit, sarcasm and perspective,” explains the representative. Even the gardens follow this philosophy: “This is a landscape for wanderers and for colossal creatures, it's created to create a feeling of diminutiveness,” he says, a challenge accomplished by strategic landscaping, experimenting with height, size and multiple meandering routes in a unexpectedly limited space.

The Writer's Legacy

The author penned several personal accounts and often changed his story. The museum takes this approach to heart; frequently the opinions of his companions or excerpts of written messages are displayed to gently question the writer's personal account of incidents. “The writer is the storyteller, but his account isn't always accurate,” explains the expert. The effect is a fascinating whirlwind tour of his personal story and art, thinking patterns and best-loved tales. This is thought-provoking and fun, for grown-ups and youngsters, with a additional underground fantasy realm, Ville Vau, for the smallest guests.

Discovering the City

Back in the physical town, the small city of the municipality is delightful, with historic pathways and historic timber buildings painted in cheerful shades. The writer's influence is everywhere: the road indicators display the writer with his iconic characteristic hat, brass footprints give a no-cost pedestrian route, and there’s a outdoor exhibition too. Annually in August this dedication reaches its height with the annual Andersen celebration, which honors the his influence through visual arts, movement, stage shows and music.

During my visit, the week-long celebration had hundreds of events, many were free. As I explore Odense, I come across painted stilt-walkers, spooky creatures and an writer impersonator sharing tales. I hear contemporary performances and witness an incredible nocturnal display with acrobatic dancers descending from the town hall and dangling from a crane. Still to come in the coming months are lectures, family art workshops and, extending the oral history past the author, the city’s annual wonder event.

All good magical places require a fortress, and Fyn boasts over a hundred manors and stately homes across the island

Cycling and Exploration

Similar to most of Denmark, cycles are the perfect means to travel around in Odense and a “bike path” meanders through the urban core. Starting at my accommodation, I ride to the public harbour-side swimming pool, then out of town for a route around the nearby islet, a small island connected by causeway to the primary land. Local inhabitants picnic here following their day, or take pleasure in a tranquil moment angling, water sports or bathing.

Back in town, I dine at a local eatery, where the culinary offerings is inspired by the writer's motifs and tales. The poem the patriotic piece is featured when I visit, and manager Nils Palmqvist recites passages, presented in English, as he introduces the meal. It’s an experience frequent in my time in Odense, the island inhabitants appreciate narratives and it appears narrating is continuously available here.

Manor House Visits

All good fairytale destinations deserve a castle, and this region features numerous historic homes and estates across the island. Traveling briefly from Odense, I tour Egeskov Palace, the region's best-preserved historic fortress. Despite parts are available for tours, this historic site is also the personal dwelling of the aristocratic owners and his wife, the princess. I wonder if she would notice a pea through a stack of {mattresses