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In the mirror, I can see myself in enormous golden pantaloons, perceptible only to me. Kids sit in a stone basin imitating mermaids, meanwhile nearby resides a speaking vegetable in a showcase, beside a imposing pile of bedding. It represents the universe of the beloved author (1805-1875), among the nineteenth-century's most beloved authors. I'm visiting Odense, situated in Funen in the south of this Nordic country, to investigate the writer's lasting influence in his native city many decades after his death, and to find a few fairytales of my own.

The Cultural Center: The Andersen Museum

Andersen's House is the town's cultural center celebrating the storyteller, incorporating his original residence. A curator notes that in past designs of the museum there was little focus on the author's tales. Andersen's biography was examined, but The Ugly Duckling were absent. For tourists who travel to this place in search of narrative enchantment, it was not quite enough.

The renovation of the city center, diverting a major road, made it possible to reconsider how the city’s most famous son could be commemorated. A prestigious architectural challenge granted the Japanese company the Kengo Kuma team the commission, with the innovative curatorial vision at the core of the design. The distinctive wooden museum with interlinked spiral spaces debuted to significant attention in 2021. “Our goal was to build a place where we move beyond simply describing the writer, but we speak in the manner of Andersen: with wit, sarcasm and viewpoint,” says the expert. Even the gardens embrace this concept: “It’s a garden for wanderers and for giants, it's planned to create a feeling of diminutiveness,” he says, a goal realized by clever planting, playing with verticality, proportion and numerous twisting trails in a unexpectedly limited space.

Andersen's Impact

Andersen wrote multiple autobiographies and regularly contradicted himself. The museum embraces this concept seriously; frequently the perspectives of his companions or excerpts of written messages are presented to subtly challenge the his narrative of events. “The author is the guide, but he’s not reliable,” says the representative. The effect is a engaging rapid journey of the author's biography and work, mental approaches and most popular stories. This is thought-provoking and fun, for mature visitors and children, with a extra underground fantasy realm, the fictional village, for the youngest visitors.

Visiting the Town

Returning to the real world, the small city of the municipality is charming, with cobbled streets and old wooden houses finished in cheerful shades. The Andersen legacy is all around: the traffic lights display the storyteller with his signature characteristic hat, brass footprints offer a complimentary guided stroll, and there’s a art walk too. Each summer this dedication culminates with the yearly HC Andersen festival, which honors the writer's impact through visual arts, movement, stage shows and musical performances.

During my visit, the multi-day celebration had hundreds of events, most of which were complimentary. While visiting the city, I encounter painted stilt-walkers, spooky creatures and an Andersen lookalike telling stories. I hear contemporary performances and see an amazing evening show with athletic artists lowering from the city building and dangling from a crane. Upcoming events during the season are lectures, creative sessions for all ages and, broadening the storytelling legacy beyond Andersen, the city’s annual wonder event.

All good fairytale destinations deserve a castle, and this region features 123 castles and stately homes across the island

Cycling and Exploration

Similar to other Danish regions, bicycles are the best way to get about in Odense and a “bike path” meanders through the urban core. Starting at the local hotel, I ride to the free port-side aquatic facility, then into the countryside for a loop around the nearby islet, a tiny landmass connected by causeway to the primary land. Local inhabitants picnic here following their day, or appreciate a tranquil moment angling, paddleboarding or bathing.

Returning to town, I eat at a local eatery, where the menu is inspired by author-inspired concepts and tales. The poem the patriotic piece is featured when I visit, and proprietor the host reads extracts, translated into English, as he introduces the meal. It’s an experience repeated often in my days in the city, the fynbo enjoy storytelling and it appears storytelling is constantly on the menu here.

Manor House Visits

Each wonderful enchanted locations need a castle, and this region contains over a hundred manors and estates throughout the region. Going on excursions from the city, I tour Egeskov Palace, the continent's best-preserved moated palace. Although large sections are accessible to the public, this historic site is also the private residence of the noble family and his spouse, the princess. I wonder if she might sense a pea through a mound of {mattresses