Odense, city, northern Funen island, Denmark, on the Odense River. The site was sacred in pagan times as the vi, or sanctuary, of Odin (one of the principal gods in Norse religion) but was first recorded in history about 1000 CE
Denmark: Syddanmark – H.C. Anderson Museum
The main thing that drew me to the city of Odense is that it was the childhood home of the famous writer of fairytales, Hans Christian Andersen. The Danes do not use his first name, so he is simply known as H C Andersen.
Having started the day feeling a bit tired we were happy to spend the morning just relaxing and catching up a bit with life. I had booked timed entry tickets for 13:30, which was perfect So, after lunch, we gathered ourselves and started to walk into the centre of Odense where the museum and H C Andersen’s childhood home are located. It only took us about a gentle 30-minute stroll to get there.
The museum is in a small park with some interesting circular buildings with flat sloped roofs that are covered in grass and moss. The buildings are a mixture of glass, concrete and metal and are set within a lush landscape of plants and flowers, linked by meandering pathways. It was a beautiful setting.
Once inside the museum, we were handed headsets, which we full over-the-air types with a contraption on top which was to pick-up directional Bluetooth. Unlike a lot of museums where you have to put in a code or read a bar code to get the appropriate audio track, these headsets detected where you are and play the track. It worked well – most of the time and was ideal for kids. The buildings and landscapes were designed by Japanese star architect Kengo Kuma who is known for his contemporary style.
The museum was essentially in two halves, the first covering his life and work and the second focusing on what he is most famous for – his fairy tales. His life stories were told through simple animations, objects and excerpts from his writing combined with the soundtrack in a creative and engaging way. The content of the museum has been created in collaboration with 12 renowned artists from home and abroad. Among the artists are the Brazilian installation artist Henrique Oliveira, the British puppet maker Andy Gent, the award-winning Danish author Kim Fupz and American Daniel Handler – better known under the author’s pen name Lemony Snicket.
Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, H C Anderson is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen’s fairy tales, consisting of 156 stories across nine volumes, have been translated into more than 125 languages.
Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark on 2 April 1805. Andersen’s father, who had received an elementary school education, introduced his son to literature, reading to him the Arabian Nights. Andersen’s mother, Anne Marie Andersdatter, was an illiterate washerwoman. At fourteen, he moved to Copenhagen to seek employment as an actor. Having an excellent soprano voice, he was accepted into the Royal Danish Theatre, but his voice soon changed. Jonas Collin, director of the Royal Danish Theatre, held great affection for Andersen and sent him to a grammar school.
Although he fell in love many times, Andersen never married. He directed his unrequited affections at both men and women, including the famed singer Jenny Lind and Danish dancer Harald Scharff. Andersen’s personal life was certainly complicated and a subject of much speculation.
Andersen sustained a serious injury in 1872 after falling from bed in his Copenhagen home. His final publication, a collection of stories, appeared the same year. Around this time, he started to show signs of liver cancer that would take his life. Andersen died on August 4, 1875, in Copenhagen.
Andersen’s work first gained recognition in 1829, with the publication of a short story entitled “A Journey on Foot from Holmen’s Canal to the East Point of Amager.” A novel based on his time in Italy was published in 1835. The same year, Andersen began producing fairy tales. Despite his success as a writer up to this point, Andersen did not initially attract attention for his writing for children.
In 1845, English translations of Andersen’s folktales and stories began to gain the attention of foreign audiences. Andersen forged a friendship with acclaimed British novelist Charles Dickens, whom he visited in England in 1847 and again a decade later. His stories became English-language classics and had a strong influence on subsequent British children’s authors, including A.A. Milne and Beatrix Potter. Over time, Scandinavian audiences discovered Andersen’s stories, as did audiences in the United States, Asia and across the globe.
The route through the museum telling the life of H C Andersen uses the natural curve of the building to spiral you through his life – from birth to beloved author to death. Of course, the beloved author is his legacy and continues to this day. Like many great artists, he was a genius, complex and a bit weird.
From his life story, the museum spits you into its second half – H C Andersen’s fairy tales. In the basement of the building is dedicated to his most famous fairy tales including “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, “The Little Mermaid”, “The Nightingale”, “The Steadfast Tin Soldier”, “The Red Shoes”, “The Princess and the Pea”, “The Snow Queen”, “The Ugly Duckling”, “The Little Match Girl”, and “Thumbelina”. The museum has done an amazing job bringing these tales to life in an engaging and memorable way using very simple media. We loved it despite not having any children with us.
After leaving the exhibits the self-guided tour leads you into the Andersen Hus (or house), where he is reputed to have been born. The museum has been cleverly integrated with this original building on a small street in Odense. The house is small, and yellow (at least from the outside) and sparsely furnished. I didn’t notice too much in here apart from it having lovely new floorboards that smelt great. It felt bare after the museum – but perhaps that was the point. Inevitably the trail leads you from the birth house into the museum’s shop, which was also very nicely done, but with no plans other than window shop we did not hang around for long.
From the museum we set off to look at the outside of the Andersen Hus, which was just as small on the outside – no reverse Doctor Who TARDIS effect here! The house itself was set in a short street of equally quaint houses, some of which had inevitably been turned into shops and cafes for tourists. But they were still nice to look at and we did manage to snap a few photos without too many tourists in them.
We always like to wander the streets of a new town to see what it has to offer. A bit of weather had pushed in, so it was not quite so nice, but we didn’t let that put us off, so we carried on wandering the streets. Odense turned out to have a very neat and compact centre and it was lovely to just walk around its streets, although we did eventually have to cave in for a cup of coffee and a cake.
Feeling refreshed we began our journey back to the Airbnb on foot. On the way, we stumbled upon another H C Andersen site in Odense, his childhood home. They were about to close, but like his birth home it was small, so were able to read all the information there and look through the rooms – there were only three and spend a few minutes in the garden.
Planning your visit to Odense
Train & Buses
The main railway station in Odense is just across the road from the conference centre. There are direct or one-change trains from Copenhagen airport. The journey takes ca. 1.5 hours. See the national train network (DSB) website for tickets. Information about travel and tickets within Europe can also be found here.
Plane
Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is conveniently accessible by train (1.5 hrs). Billund Airport (BLL) on Jutland is also convenient and approx 1.5 hrs by bus and train.
Car
- Copenhagen: 1.5 hrs
- Lund: 2 hrs
- Hamburg: 5 hours
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The best time to visit Odense
Odense, nestled in Denmark, experiences a marine west coast climate commonly known as warm summer climate, classified as “Cfb” under the Köppen climate classification. A year-round mild temperature distinguishes this climate, along with high humidity and significant rainfall.
The best time to visit Odense
Crowd preference and weather data suggest the best visiting period in Odense falls between May to September. These months bring out the best of Odense weather, with temperatures averaging from 14.3°C (57.7°F) to 20.1°C (68.2°F), providing a pleasant warmth, devoid of extreme heat. The city also records the highest sunlight hours within this period, reaching up to 9.9 hours in June, ensuring longer daytime activities. Rainfall is also minimal in the early summer, contributing to a favourable atmosphere for outdoor tourism.
The worst time to visit Odense
The period from November to February in Odense might prove challenging due to its cold, humid, and cloudy weather. Within this span, average temperatures range from 1.2°C (34.2°F) to 3.4°C (38.1°F), with occasional snowfall, especially in December and January, recording an average of 11mm (0.43″) and 23mm (0.91″), respectively. Furthermore, daylight is restricted, registering its shortest duration of 7.2 hours in December, further limiting outdoor activity.
Where to stay in Odense
1. Hotel Odeon
Hotel Odeon is located in Odense, 656 feet from Odense train station. Featuring a 24-hour front desk, this property also provides guests with a restaurant. The accommodations offer a business centre and free WiFi.
Guest rooms in the hotel are fitted with a flat-screen TV. The rooms come with a private bathroom with a hair dryer. The units at Hotel Odeon include climate control, a desk and a chair.
2. City Hotel Nattergalen
Ideally located in a central yet quiet Odense district, this hotel offers a nice breakfast, has free fiber Wi-Fi and a roof terrace with panoramic city views. Odense Station is 8 minutes’ walk and the ODEON conference- and culture center just a 3-minute walk away.
City Hotel Nattergalen’s modern guest rooms have simple yet comfortable furnishings. All include a TV, a work desk and a private bathroom with shower.
Just a couple of minutes’ walk from the main building is the hotel’s cozy restaurant, Den Gamle Kro. It is located in a half-timbered house from 1683 and has traditional décor with wooden paneling.
3. Budget – Kragsbjerggaard Vandrerhjem
Located in Odense and with Hans Christian Andersen ‘s Home reachable within 1.3 miles, Kragsbjerggaard Vandrerhjem has a garden, non-smoking rooms, free WiFi throughout the property and a shared lounge. Featuring a shared kitchen, this property also provides guests with a grill. The hostel has family rooms.
Guests at the hostel can enjoy a buffet breakfast.
You can play table tennis at Kragsbjerggaard Vandrerhjem, and the area is popular for cycling.
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