Odense was founded in 988 (as Nonnebaken), and was an important settlement of the Vikings, which they later named Odense in honor of the god Odin (his largest temple was located here). Under King Knud IV the Holy (ruled 1080-86), the role of the city increased significantly, since it was here that the first diocese (church district) was founded and the largest cathedral was laid, now it bears the name of the king himself. After the canonization of Knud, the city became one of the places of pilgrimage in medieval Europe. In 1804, a port was built here, a harbor was deepened, and a canal was laid. The rapid industrial development of the city began. But more than the port was done for the city by its great native, who was born a year after the port was built, in 1805. This is, of course, the most famous Dane - Hans Christian Andersen. 62 years after his death, he became an honorary citizen, a museum, a park, and a library bear his name.
Odense landmarks
The historic center of the city retains its "Andersen" look: spacious streets and quarters, many parks and other greenery, churches, museums, red brick monasteries.
The main historical monument is the 13th century Gothic St. Knud Cathedral in the city center, on the edge of a boulevard and a park that slopes down to the river. The crypt contains the ark with the relics of St. Knud. The carved pulpit of the 18th century and the organ famous throughout Denmark have survived. Not far from the cathedral is the even more ancient church of St. Alban, where, in fact, the future saint was killed. Kings Hans I and Christian II are also buried in the city. The Church of Our Lady, in its present appearance of the 19th century, contains a carved altar by the famous German mother Klaus Berg of the 16th century. The Church of St. John, built in Gothic forms in the 15th century at the monastery of St. John of Jerusalem, was transformed in the mid-18th century by King Frederick IV into a baroque residence, Odense Castle.
A museum and a memorial house, in which he spent his childhood, are dedicated to Andersen. Other museums include the "Funen Village" near the town, where the peasant way of life is preserved, and in the town itself, there is the Museum of Funen Art. The Museum of Danish Railways is interesting.
Every summer numerous festivals are held in Odense: organ music, jazz, rock, theater festivals.
Transport
It is convenient to get around the city on foot, by bike or by bus. In the latter case, boarding is always done through the front doors, the ticket is purchased from the driver (17kr, it is better to have the amount without change). The main transit point, where almost all routes converge, is a stop in front of the Church of St. Knuds (Sankt Knuds Kirke). All buses except No. 71 also pass by the bus station, which is located next to the railway. Odense Banegård Center Station.
A taxi rank can be found in front of the station or by calling Odense Taxa: 66 15 44 15.
Those who come to Odense by car should know that driving in the city, apart from rush hours, when everyone is going to or from work, is quite easy. However, most of the attractions are located in the pedestrian zone, so it is better to park your four-wheeled friend and go exploring the city on foot.
Near the city center there is a marked parking along the streets, which is paid for in special machines with small change (it is worth stocking up on coins). Places fill up quickly, but you shouldn't be upset: nearby, near Brandts Klædefabrik, Carl Nielsen Museet and the railway. the station has special large parking lots. The cost is 13kr per hour.
There are several bike rentals in the city center, such as City Cykler (Vesterbro 27; 10: 00-17: 30pm Mon-Fri, until 13:00 Sat). The rental price is about 99kr per day. Per's Cykler & Knallerter (Vesterbro 95) is located on the same street, but rent is cheaper here - from 50kr per day.
Odense(dates. Odense) - the third largest city in Denmark, the capital of the island of Funen. Located on the Odense River, close to the Odense Fjord. The city can be reached by the Odense train station on the Copenhagen - Jutland line. In 1796-1806 a canal (7.5 m deep) was dug, which connects the city with the fjord, and in 1998 the famous bridge between the islands of Zealand and Funen was built, which is used for rail and road connections. This bridge is the third longest suspension bridge in the world and the longest in Europe. Now you can drive from Copenhagen to Odense in just 1 hour 15 minutes.CITY `S HISTORY
Odense (translated as “sanctuary of Odin”) in 1988 celebrated its Millennium. The tomb of St. Knud (also known as St. Canute), in the Middle Ages it was a place of mass pilgrimage for believers. In the 16th century, the city served as a place where parliaments met, and until 1805 it was the office of the provincial assembly of Fun.Before World War II, the most famous landmark in Odense is Odinstårnet (Odin's Tower), built in 1935. It was the second tallest tower in Europe, after the Eiffel Tower. A group of Danish Nazis blew it up in 1944, after which the tower was not restored (only a miniature model was created in its place).The most important event in the history of the city is that on April 2, 1805, the world famous writer Hans Christian Andersen was born here.
THE CITY'S ATTRACTIONS.
Hans-Christian Andersen Museum
The museum is located in the house where the famous storyteller was born. The opening of the museum took place in the year of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the writer, in 1908. The entire furnishings of the house are preserved in the form when the family lived in several rooms of the house. Nowadays, not far from the house, a modern museum of Hans-Christian Andersen is open. This is a large center dedicated to the life and work of the writer. The exposition of the museum: his drawings, manuscripts, books. Visitors get to know Andersen as a person, with all his habits and preferences. A large place in the center is reserved for small visitors: in outdoor games they get to know the writer's fairy tales, draw and plunge into the magical world of the storyteller. The museum has a shop where you can buy souvenirs, books dedicated to the life and work of the writer, as well as Andersen's works in several languages.
Andersen House Museum
A small house where the writer lived with his parents, aged 2 to 14. The museum was opened in 1930. The house has preserved the modest furnishings of the rooms and things that reflect the childhood of the writer.
Charity school
A charity school (Fattigskole) is located at the corner of Paaskestræde and Adelgade streets. It was here that the famous storyteller H. Andersen studied. The building was built in 1570.
At the end of his reign, King Frederick IV ordered to rebuild and improve the provincial castles of the kingdom, including the Odense castle. In 1720, a plan for the reconstruction of the castle was developed, which was implemented by the architect J.C. Krieger. The building was reconstructed in the Dutch Baroque style. The main central part of the castle was built and merged with the existing parts. The upper floor housed the royal apartments: the west wing - the king's suite, the east wing - the queen's suite, which was divided by a large dining room and a reception hall. On the ground floor there are apartments for the family of the heir to the Danish throne. The central hall of this floor was the waiting room for an audience with royals. The material for the reconstruction of the castle was the preserved parts of the destroyed Nyborg castle, which was badly damaged during the war with Sweden. A classic French garden was laid out around the castle. The reconstruction was completed in 1730. Despite his illness, Frederick IV expressed a desire to see the renovated castle. I arrived in Odense and in the early October morning left our mortal world sitting in an armchair in the new bedroom of the castle. Nowadays, the castle houses the Odense city council and you can only see the castle from the outside.
Monastery of noble maidens.
In 1716, Karen Brahe founded a monastery for unmarried women of the Danish nobility. The monastery functioned in this capacity until 1972. The main building was built at the beginning of the 16th century as part of the episcopal palace along the river. The building has high vaulted ceilings and large windows overlooking the courtyard. The interiors of the building are well preserved.
Town hall
The town hall was built in the 80s of the XIX century in the Italian Gothic style by architects Herholdt and Lendorf. It was erected on the same site where the building of the old City Hall of Odense was located for more than 400 years. From 1937 to 1955, the Town Hall was under constant reconstruction. Its opening took place on 2 April in the year of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen.
Old Railway Station.
The building of the old railway station functioned from 1914 until the end of the 1990s. A feature of the building's architecture is the signs of Neo-Baroque architecture. Architect Genrih Wenck is said to have been inspired by the architecture of the main façade of Odense Castle.
Kramboden (old shop)
Kramboden is located in an old merchant's house from the 15th century. As in times past, the Kramboden is a real treasure chest made of small items. The range of goods covers essential goods from Danish daily life, whether they are antiques, old stocks or good quality copies.
1796 - the year of the founding of the theater in Odense. In 1914 a theater building was built in the city. It was the main theater in the province of Funen. Its repertoire includes performances of national and foreign classics and contemporary art, as well as the organization of performances for children and youth, musicals and dance performances. Recently, the Royal Danish Ballet has established a branch of the Dance Academy at the Odense Theater.
CITY MUSEUMS
An unforgettable journey into the animal world awaits you. The zoo features more than 2000 animals from all over the world. There are: elegant giraffes, African antelopes, lions, beautiful Siberian tigers, macaque monkeys, camels and lazy red pandas, tapirs and giant manatees, penguins. The zoo also has playgrounds for children, restaurants and cafes.
Funen
Village
This is an open-air museum: rural buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum has completely recreated the atmosphere of that period: timber-brick houses, fences, buildings for keeping animals, a village pond and even entire streets. The whole village is surrounded by agricultural land. The picture of the life of the villagers in the middle of the 19th century is completely recreated here. Also, events related to the celebration of traditional rural holidays are held here. This museum will leave an unforgettable impression on tourists who have been crippled by folklore and history.
Vikingmuseum Ladby
This museum presents the Viking Age grave ship in which King Ladby is buried. Around 925 AD, King Ladby was buried in his ship, which was 21.5 meters long and 3 meters wide. A Kurgan was erected over the ship. Together with the king, his favorite animals were buried: 11 horses and 4 dogs. In the bow of the vessel there is an original anchor and an anchor chain. Unfortunately, the grave was plundered back in the time of the Vikings, so the body of the deceased was taken out by their ship, and some things from the burial were destroyed. The exposition of the museum presents some of the things from the burial that have survived to this day. In Kurgan you can see the imprint of the ship, about 2000 rivets that connected its boards, the shroud of the ring for the rigging of the mast. In the bow of the mound there is an original anchor with a chain and 11 horse skeletons. A bit of the history of the museum: the remains of a burial ship were found here in 1935 by amateur archaeologist Poul Helweg Mikkelsen. A concrete dome was erected over the mound. In 2012, the museum celebrated its 75th anniversary.
In the vicinity of Odense, there is a unique attraction - the castle of Egeskov. It is located thirty kilometers from the city, not far from Kverndrup. The name of the castle, translated into Russian, means "Oak Forest". Egeskov Castle rises in the middle of the lake. To make this possible, the builders drove thousands of oak pillars into the bottom of the lake, which served as the foundation for the future castle.
Egeskov Castle consists of two buildings connected by a thick double wall. The interior of the castle amazes with the beauty of its decoration. Paintings, antique furniture, all kinds of hunting trophies - all this is imbued with majestic sophistication and aristocracy.
The lake on which the castle stands is surrounded by a botanical garden, where stunning orchids bloom.
Coordinates: 55.17662800,10.48742600
Legoland Park
In the city of Billund, there is one of the most popular parks among visitors with children - Legoland Park. The creators of the park were so imbued with the children's designer that they decided to lay out the entire park from large Lego blocks. 46 million parts were spent on the construction of the entire complex. Most of them went to create a "world of miniatures", which contains reduced copies of the sights of Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, USA, Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
Due to the fact that the park is visited by a huge number of people, there is a constant risk of getting lost. However, the prudent owners of Legoland have found a way out of this situation - each child is given a bracelet with built-in wi-fi at the entrance. If parents find out that their child is not around, they just need to send an SMS, and in a moment the coordinates of the child's location will be sent to the phone. A card issued at the entrance will help you pinpoint your exact location.
Coordinates: 55.73541100,9.13028200
What sights of Odense do you like? There are icons next to the photo, by clicking on which you can rate this or that place.
Andersen Museum
In Denmark there is a small cozy town called Odense. One of the world's most famous storytellers, Hans Christian Andersen, was born in this city. All tourists who come to Odense are eager to visit the small yellow house, where the famous storyteller spent his childhood.
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birthday of the great writer, a museum was opened in his house, whose interior recreates the era of that time. Here are collected some things, a personal library and manuscripts of the writer. The main exposition and especially valuable exhibits are kept in a building adjacent to the writer's house. Here you can find Andersen's books translated into all languages of the world. On the walls of the museum there are paintings depicting scenes from cult fairy tales.
Coordinates: 55.39877400,10.39072200
Safari Park Givskud fully lives up to its name - it is not just another zoo, there are no cages between animals and visitors. Giveskud was opened in 1969. This is the first Danish safari park in which lions roam freely. The park is visited annually by over 450 thousand people. Tourists, accompanied by a guide, move around the park on a Land Rover or a safari train.
Givskud Safari Park is home to over 120 different animal species from five continents. Visitors to the safari park have a unique opportunity to observe free-roaming elephants, lions, antelopes, rhinos, giraffes and listen to the sounds of authentic African nature. The park has a real waterfall and jungle.
Coordinates: 55.81166700,9.35194400
Church of St. Alban
The construction of the church began at the end of the 19th century, and was fully completed only 40 years later, in 1908. The architectural style of the Church of St. Alban belongs to the neo-Gothic, and from the outside the temple impresses with the beauty of the building - the high spire can be seen from any area of the city. True, today there are no ancient icons, ancient writings or holy relics kept here, since by the standards of Catholicism this church is still quite young. In addition to immigrants from Germany and Poland, here you can see representatives of various countries, nationalities and races - recently, Koreans and Vietnamese who have converted to the Catholic faith have increasingly appeared here. Sometimes this church is confused with the Monastery of St. Alban, located here, in Odense, in which King Knud was once killed, but this monastery is much older: it was built in the 14th century on the site of a small wooden church.
Coordinates: 55.40251000,10.39232300
The most popular attractions in Odense with descriptions and photos for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Odense on our website.
Individual and group
Ancient Odense (Odense, "Odin's Sanctuary") - the third largest city in Denmark, the capital of the island of Funen, a picturesque city-park. It is easy to believe that it was in this city that the storyteller Andersen was born - gingerbread houses and tiled roofs, as if descended from illustrations for his books, follow the tourist at every step. In addition, in Odense, the houses where the writer was born and lived for many years are carefully guarded, and heroes of his fairy tales are found everywhere on the streets (of course, in the form of monuments).
How to get there
The city is located near the fjord of the same name, you can get here by train from Copenhagen (278 DKK, 1.5 hours), Aarhus (245 DKK, 1¾ hours), Esbjerg (220 DKK, 1.5 hours). Or from the capital by bus over a suspension bridge (travel time ~ 1.5 hours). The bus station is located near the train station at the address: Dannebrogsgade, 6.
Funen Garden Island, the capital of which is Odense, is located away from the Zeeland Islands, across the picturesque Great Belt. To connect these points, enterprising Danes built a grandiose structure - a 7 km long bridge, the second longest in the world. Needless to say, a bus ride on it is a separate attraction?
Prices on the page are for April 2019.
Search for flights to Copenhagen (nearest airport to Odense)
A bit of history
The first mentions of Odense date back to 988 documents. However, there is information that much earlier this time there was also a Viking settlement, which was called Nonnenbakken. In the south of Odense, one of the powerful fortresses with this name, built in the 970s by King Svein Vislobeard, is still preserved.
Weather in Odense
Transport
It is convenient to get around the city on foot, by bike or by bus. In the latter case, boarding is always done through the front doors, the ticket is purchased from the driver (25 DKK, it is better to have the amount without change). The main transit point, where almost all routes converge, is a stop in front of the Church of St. Knuds (Sankt Knuds Kirke). All buses except No. 71 also pass by the bus station, which is located next to the railway. Odense Banegård Center Station.
A taxi rank can be found in front of the station or by calling Odense Taxa: 661-544-15.
While exploring Odense, in no case should you lose sight of the wonderful open-air museum "Funen Village".
Parking
Those who come to Odense by car should know that driving in the city, apart from rush hours, when everyone is going to or from work, is quite easy. However, most of the attractions are located in the pedestrian zone, so it is better to park your four-wheeled friend and go exploring the city on foot.
Near the city center there is a marked parking along the streets, which is paid for in special machines with small change (it is worth stocking up on coins). Places fill up quickly, but you shouldn't be upset: nearby, near Brandts Klædefabrik, Carl Nielsen Museet and the railway. the station has special large parking lots. Cost 12 DKK per hour.
By bike
There are several bike rentals in the city center, such as City Cykler (Vesterbro 27; 10: 00-17: 30pm Mon-Fri, until 13:00 Sat). The rental price is about 100 DKK per day.
There are also special bike tours from Cycling Embassy in Odense, the cost is about 4000 DKK for a group of up to 25 people, check the details at the information office.
Popular hotels in Odense
Odense attractions and attractions
On the main square of the city there is a town hall, a cathedral, a travel agency and two monuments: one, as you might guess, to Andersen, and the second to St. Knud. Here we will tell you more about it, because the Cathedral of St. Knuds (Odense Domkirke / Skt. Knuds Kirke) is one of the main attractions of the city.
Cathedral of Saint Knud
The cathedral is interesting not only for its architecture and rich interiors, but also for its sad history. For many centuries, the remains of the Danish king Knud and his brother, who were killed by the rebellious nobility in 1086 in the church of St. Alban, have been buried in the temple. The consequences of this murder for the country opened up dark times. For several years, then Denmark suffered from crop failure, which at that time was perceived as God's punishment for a crime committed in a sacred place - a temple. Mystical horror gave rise to rumors of miracles taking place on the graves of the slain. This led to the canonization of King Knud in 1101, and turned Odense into one of the main places of universal pilgrimage.
The small wooden church of St. Alban could not accommodate the influx of pilgrims, and in 1300 the construction of a new temple began. But it ended only 200 years later. Today, the red brick Gothic cathedral is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. There is a unique gilded carved altar, which depicts 300 biblical characters, as well as a large gilded triptych (1534) by the master Klaus Berg from Lübeck.
But, perhaps, the main thing for which tourists come to Odense is the romantic atmosphere of the city where the most famous storyteller in the world, Hans Christian Andersen, was born.
Funen Village
While exploring Odense, in no case should you lose sight of the wonderful open-air museum "Funen Village" (Tue-Sun 10: 00-17: 00, adults 75-110 DKK, groups of 10 people - 65-100 DKK, children up to 17 years old - free). There are small cozy peasant houses surrounded by picturesque gardens or vegetable gardens.
The approximate time for inspection is at least an hour, to take a leisurely stroll along the narrow paths, admire the nature and architecture of old Odense, look into the houses and get acquainted with the life and customs of the peasantry of the 18-19 centuries.
Address: Sejerskovvej, 20.
Egeskov Castle
Odense and Andersen
But, perhaps, the main thing for which tourists come to Odense is the romantic atmosphere of the city in which the most famous storyteller in the world, Hans Christian Andersen, was born. Here he spent his childhood, from here he began his life, I must say, very difficult.
It is worth taking a walk to the Andersen Park, where his monument is located, the Odenet river with a pretty island and a "paper" boat (in fact, it turned out to be iron). Another Andersen spot is at 3-5 Munkemøllestræde. It was here that the writer spent his childhood.
In general, about 18 sculptures on the theme of Andersen's fairy tales are scattered on the streets of Odense, especially the big-eyed dog from "Ogniv", which has eyes "the size of the Round Tower", is scattered around.
In the Andersen Museum (Tue-Sun 10: 00-16: 00, adults 95 DKK, groups of 10 people - 90 DKK, children under 17 - free of charge) you can see his personal belongings, manuscripts, letters, walk through the library. A modern building adjoins the miniature house - the main exhibition: illustrations to his fairy tales, Andersen's books translated into different languages, and much more. Address: Bangs Boder 29.
Other attractions in Odense
It is worth visiting the Church of St. Hans (Sct. Hans Kirke), standing next to the palace, on Nørregade street, the beautiful Odense Slot palace (now the city council sits here), the Franciscan monastery Graabroedre kloster (now a nursing home).
The Odin Tower (Odinstårnet), built in 1935, also attracts attention. It was once the second tallest tower in Europe. In 1944, a group of Danish Nazis blew it up, after which the tower was not rebuilt, but only a miniature memorial model was left.
Other attractions: the Gothic Church of St. Alban (Sct. Albani Kirke), the ancient Montergarden mint, the Church of the Virgin Mary (Vor Frue Kirke), Nonnebakken Hill (Nuns Hill).
In general, about 18 sculptures on the theme of Andersen's fairy tales are scattered on the streets of Odense, the big-eyed dog from Ogniv is especially good.
Egeskov Castle
Another unique attraction of the island of Funen is located 30 km from Odense - the castle of Egeskov, built during the Renaissance in 1554 right in the center of the lake. The foundation of this structure is thousands of oak trunks driven vertically into the bottom of the lake. Hence the name of the castle, which means "oak forest".
Not only the picturesque outskirts of the castle attract attention, but also the interior: antique furniture, paintings, hunting trophies are in abundance within the walls of the Egeskov fortress. Around the same - a park with a magnificent botanical garden, many orchids, peacocks strolling sedately, figuratively trimmed bushes, a maze of two hundred year old, but still living bamboo.
The once poorest area of the city has been painstakingly renovated, mothballed and put on display like a fragile antique toy. Small colorful houses with tiled roofs and flower bushes under the windows look absolutely gingerbread. And yet, this is not only a tourist attraction, but also an ordinary residential area, the inhabitants of which are no different from the rest of the townspeople.
In the very center of the old quarter, at the intersection of Hans Jensens Strаede and Bangs Boder, there is the house where Andersen was born.
Here it is, just like the old postcard.
In fact, Andersen's place of birth is not exactly known: the writer was ashamed of his origin and was reluctant to talk about his family. After Andersen was awarded the title of honorary citizen of the city of Odense in 1867, the local newspaper published a report in which this corner house, where the writer's grandmother and two older daughters once lived, was named as the birthplace of the great countryman. Andersen himself never confirmed the correctness of the newspapermen, either sincerely not remembering the place in which he spent the first two years of his life, or not wanting to be associated with his name with the urban slums, where almost a third of children were born out of wedlock. In 1905, on the occasion of the centenary of the writer, the city authorities decided to organize a museum here. After 3 years, a small exhibition was opened to the public.
From the inside, the house seems spacious enough. But at the time of Andersen, there were three apartments in which about 20 people lived. The room, occupied by the Andersen family, overlooks the Hans Jensens Strаede. The view from the window is the same as it was 200 years ago. Almost.
The writer's own things are not here - they are collected in the Andersen Museum adjacent to the house. Inside, the typical furnishings of the dwelling of the urban poor of the early 19th century are recreated: a stove, a desk, a bed, and modest decorations on the walls. Everything is toy-small to fit in cramped rooms.
"In 1805, in the city of Odense, in a poor closet, a young couple lived - a husband and wife who endlessly loved each other. It was a young twenty-two-year-old shoemaker, a richly gifted poetic nature, and his wife, several years older, who knew neither life nor the world but with a rare heart. ”The husband had just recently become a master and with his own hands put together all the furnishings of his workshop and a marriage bed. On this bed went a wooden platform, on which, not long before, during a sad ceremony, the coffin with the remains of Earl Trump stood. the beds of a strip of black cloth still reminded of their former purpose, but instead of the count's body, wrapped in crepe and surrounded by burning candles in candlesticks, on April 2, 1805, a living, crying child, I - Hans Christian Andersen, lay on this bed. "(G.-H. Andersen "The Tale of My Life")
The bed is not just small, it is sedentary - in those days, sleeping with pillows tucked high under the back was considered healthy. At the same time, materials and living space were saved.
Andersen's grandfather, Anders Hansen, came from peasants. He worked as a shoemaker - the same profession was inherited by his son, the father of the writer - and earned enough to buy a small house. Unfortunately, the shoemaker Hansen soon lost his mind. The family fell into poverty. As a child, Andersen was terrified of the visits of his mentally ill grandfather and for the rest of his life he was possessed by the fear of losing his mind. The maternal grandmother was the poorest of the poor. All three of her daughters were born out of wedlock, for which she was even sentenced to imprisonment on bread and water in the city hall. She later married an apprentice furrier who had just been released from a local prison, and after his death, a night watchman. Widowed a second time, she was forced to turn to a workhouse, which was engaged in the care of the poor.
The writer's second cousin was convicted of begging and stealing firewood. His portrait, which hangs on the wall of one of the rooms, was taken from a photograph from the police archive. However, the patched-patched coat speaks rather not of the vicious inclinations of its owner, but of need and despair.
Andersen told about his mother in the sad story "The Lost". "Water ran from the mat, which she tied around her waist, flowed from the hem of her skirt. - I work with all my might, blood almost spurts from under my nails! .. Let it be, if only I could bring you into people, my dear ! "“Everything was in her heart,” her son would write later.
Despite the more than modest furnishings, the house does not make a depressing impression. It is honest poverty that is told with conscientiousness and sympathy. "Greenery and pictures adorned our room, which my mother kept clean and tidy; her pride was the snow-white sheets and short window curtains." These people lived hard, but they tried to maintain dignity and love for each other. And they managed to make their son's childhood happy and as joyful as possible.
However, it was not held in this house. But that is another story...
If you walk to the end of the street, a small square opens, on the corner of which the building of the Radisson Hotel is built. It's worth staying here. The facade of the hotel is decorated with 3 bronze pillars, on which the heroes of Andersen's three fairy tales are intricately intertwined: "Hans Churban", "Little Mermaid" and "The Steadfast Tin Soldier". The work of the renowned Danish sculptor Jens Galshot is extremely expressive and rich in detail.
Opposite the hotel, Thumbelina peeps out of a flower,
And at the entrance the storyteller himself sat down to rest. He is often accompanied by local residents.
The residents of Odense have a respectful attitude towards the great countryman, but without servility. This is especially noticeable in the monuments located in key places of the "Andersen's route". The monument to the writer behind the Cathedral of St. Knud is austere and traditional:
And here's the laid-back, barefoot figure from the central square:
Unfortunately, she had already left the city: the sculpture by Jens Galschott was supposed to become the centerpiece of a large fountain. But the city authorities cut off funding, and the sculptor in protest flooded his creation in shallow water in the port of Odense.
But those arriving in Odense by rail are greeted by the three-headed giant by Bjorn Norgord. The sculpture is called "The Traveler, the Narrator and the Shadow" and, according to the author, should reflect the versatility of the talent and the contradictory character of the writer.
Characters from popular fairy tales can be found on busy shopping streets and in inconspicuous courtyards.
The steadfast tin soldier takes up his post at the edge of the old quarter