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Looking at my reflection, I can see myself in enormous gilded pantaloons, seen exclusively in my view. Kids play in a stone basin pretending to be ocean creatures, meanwhile adjacent resides a talking pea in a display case, beside a tall pile of mattresses. It embodies the world of H.C. Andersen (1805-1875), a leading 19th century’s highly cherished authors. I’m in Odense, on the island of Funen in the southern region of the Danish kingdom, to discover Andersen’s enduring legacy in his birthplace a century and a half after his demise, and to discover a handful of enchanted tales of my own.

The Cultural Center: H.C. Andersen's House

The H.C. Andersen Museum is the city’s museum celebrating the storyteller, incorporating his first home. An expert states that in past designs of the museum there was scant attention on Andersen’s stories. Andersen's biography was examined, but The Little Mermaid were nowhere to be found. For visitors who visit Odense looking for narrative enchantment, it was somewhat disappointing.

The redesign of downtown Odense, rerouting a main thoroughfare, provided the opportunity to reconsider how the city’s most famous son could be celebrated. A prestigious architectural challenge awarded the Japanese company the Kengo Kuma team the contract, with the curators’ new approach at the center of the structure. The distinctive timber-clad museum with interwoven spiral spaces launched to great fanfare in 2021. “We’ve tried to create a space where we move beyond simply describing the author, but we communicate similarly to the storyteller: with humour, sarcasm and viewpoint,” says the curator. The landscape design follow this philosophy: “This is a landscape for wanderers and for giants, it’s designed to make you feel small,” he says, a goal achieved by strategic landscaping, playing with elevation, size and many winding paths in a surprisingly compact space.

Andersen's Impact

He authored several autobiographies and regularly provided conflicting accounts. The exhibition embraces this concept seriously; often the views of his companions or snippets of correspondence are presented to gently question the his narrative of events. “Andersen is the guide, but he’s not reliable,” notes the expert. The effect is a fascinating whirlwind tour of Andersen’s life and art, thought processes and favorite stories. It is thought-provoking and fun, for adults and kids, with a bonus basement fantasy realm, the fictional village, for the youngest visitors.

Discovering the City

Returning to the physical town, the small city of the municipality is picturesque, with cobbled streets and old wooden houses painted in vibrant hues. The author's presence is everywhere: the traffic lights display the author with his iconic top hat, bronze footmarks give a free guided stroll, and there’s a sculpture trail too. Annually in August this commitment culminates with the annual HC Andersen festival, which honors the writer's impact through visual arts, movement, theatre and musical performances.

Recently, the week-long celebration had numerous performances, the majority were complimentary. While visiting Odense, I meet artistic acrobats, fantastical beings and an writer impersonator sharing tales. I listen to empowering poetry and observe an amazing nocturnal display with acrobatic dancers lowering from the city building and suspended from a construction equipment. Upcoming events in the coming months are talks, creative sessions for all ages and, expanding the oral history further than the writer, the city’s yearly wonder event.

All good enchanted locations require a palace, and this region features 123 castles and manor houses throughout the region

Pedaling Through History

Like most of Denmark, cycles are the ideal method to get about in Odense and a “bike path” winds through the downtown area. From my accommodation, I ride to the complimentary port-side aquatic facility, then into the countryside for a circuit around Stige Island, a small island joined by a bridge to the mainland. City residents have outdoor meals here after work, or enjoy a quiet hour fishing, paddleboarding or taking a dip.

Returning to the city, I eat at a local eatery, where the menu is based on author-inspired concepts and stories. The verse Denmark, My Native Land is highlighted when I visit, and owner Nils Palmqvist shares excerpts, presented in English, as he introduces the meal. This is a practice frequent in my time in Odense, the local residents love a yarn and it seems that storytelling is constantly offered here.

Castle Explorations

Every excellent enchanted locations require a castle, and the island boasts numerous historic homes and estates around the area. Traveling briefly from Odense, I explore Egeskov Palace, Europe’s finely maintained historic fortress. Although large sections are accessible to the public, this historic site is also the family home of the noble family and his spouse, Princess Alexandra zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. I contemplate if she might sense a pea through a pile of {mattresses