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In the mirror, I can see myself in enormous gilded pantaloons, visible only to me. Youngsters play in a rock pool acting as sea nymphs, while adjacent sits a chatting legume in a display case, alongside a imposing mound of mattresses. It embodies the domain of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), among the nineteenth-century's most beloved authors. I find myself in this Danish town, on the island of Fyn in the south of the Danish kingdom, to discover the writer's lasting influence in his home town 150 years after his death, and to experience a couple of enchanted tales of my own.

The Museum: The Andersen Museum

HC Andersens Hus is the city’s cultural center honoring the writer, featuring his first home. A museum representative states that in previous versions of the museum there was little focus on his fairytales. His personal history was examined, but The Little Mermaid were nowhere to be found. For guests who come to this place looking for narrative enchantment, it was a little lacking.

The redesign of the city center, diverting a major road, made it possible to rethink how the local celebrity could be honored. An international design contest awarded the architects from Japan Kengo Kuma and Associates the project, with the innovative curatorial vision at the center of the layout. The distinctive wood-paneled museum with interwoven spiral spaces launched to great fanfare in 2021. “We have attempted to build a place where we avoid discussing the writer, but we speak in the manner of Andersen: with comedy, satire and viewpoint,” explains the curator. The landscape design embrace this concept: “It’s a garden for explorers and for giants, it’s designed to give you a sense of smallness,” he says, a goal realized by clever planting, playing with elevation, scale and multiple meandering routes in a deceptively small space.

Andersen's Impact

The author penned several memoirs and often changed his story. The museum adopts this philosophy fully; typically the perspectives of his companions or excerpts of correspondence are shown to subtly challenge the writer's personal account of incidents. “The author is the storyteller, but he’s not reliable,” notes the representative. The result is a fascinating rapid journey of Andersen’s life and creations, thinking patterns and favorite tales. It’s thought-provoking and whimsical, for adults and youngsters, with a bonus lower-level make-believe land, Ville Vau, for the smallest guests.

Visiting the Town

In the actual city, the compact town of Odense is charming, with historic pathways and old wooden houses finished in cheerful shades. The Andersen legacy is everywhere: the traffic lights feature the author with his iconic characteristic hat, bronze footmarks provide a complimentary guided stroll, and there’s a sculpture trail too. Each summer this focus culminates with the yearly HC Andersen festival, which honors the author’s legacy through creativity, dance, stage shows and melodies.

During my visit, the multi-day celebration had 500 shows, the majority were free. As I explore the city, I come across painted stilt-walkers, fantastical beings and an Andersen lookalike narrating adventures. I listen to feminist spoken-word pieces and witness an incredible late-night performance featuring graceful performers lowering from the town hall and hanging from a crane. Still to come during the season are presentations, family art workshops and, expanding the oral history past the author, the city’s annual Magic Days festival.

Each wonderful fairytale destinations deserve a castle, and the island features 123 castles and stately homes throughout the region

Pedaling Through History

As in other Danish regions, bikes are the ideal method to navigate in the city and a “bicycle route” meanders through the urban core. Departing from Hotel Odeon, I cycle to the complimentary port-side aquatic facility, then out of town for a circuit around Stige Island, a compact territory joined by a bridge to the primary land. Town dwellers picnic here following their day, or enjoy a tranquil moment fishing, paddleboarding or bathing.

Returning to the city, I eat at Restaurant Under Lindetræet, where the food selection is based on author-inspired concepts and narratives. The poem Denmark, My Native Land appears when I visit, and manager Nils Palmqvist reads extracts, rendered in English, as he introduces the meal. This is a practice commonplace in my time in Odense, the island inhabitants love a yarn and it seems that narrating is continuously offered here.

Manor House Visits

All good magical places deserve a palace, and this region features numerous historic homes and manor houses across the island. Taking day trips from the city, I visit the historic fortress, the region's most intact moated palace. Although large sections are open to visitors, the castle is also the private residence of the noble family and his wife, the royal resident. I ponder if she might sense a small legume through a stack of {mattresses