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In the mirror, I can see myself in oversized gilded pantaloons, visible only to me. Kids play in a stone basin imitating mermaids, while adjacent rests a speaking vegetable in a exhibition box, next to a imposing pile of mattresses. This is the domain of the beloved author (1805-1875), one of the 1800s widely adored storytellers. I’m in the city of Odense, situated in the island of Fyn in the southern part of Denmark, to investigate the author's timeless impact in his home town many decades after his death, and to find a couple of enchanted tales of my own.

The Exhibition: HC Andersens Hus

The H.C. Andersen Museum is the city’s museum celebrating the author, including his original residence. A curator states that in past designs of the museum there was little focus on the author's tales. Andersen's biography was studied, but The Ugly Duckling were absent. For guests who visit this place looking for fairytale wonder, it was not quite enough.

The redevelopment of downtown Odense, redirecting a main thoroughfare, made it possible to reconsider how the city’s most famous son could be celebrated. A prestigious architectural challenge gave the architects from Japan the renowned designers the contract, with the museum's fresh perspective at the heart of the structure. The distinctive wood-paneled museum with interlinked spiral spaces debuted to much acclaim in 2021. “We’ve tried to build a place where we avoid discussing the author, but we communicate similarly to him: with wit, sarcasm and viewpoint,” says the expert. The landscape design follow this philosophy: “The outdoor area for explorers and for giants, it's created to give you a sense of smallness,” he says, a goal realized by strategic landscaping, manipulating elevation, scale and multiple meandering routes in a surprisingly compact space.

The Writer's Legacy

The author penned two and a half autobiographies and frequently provided conflicting accounts. The exhibition adopts this philosophy fully; typically the views of his companions or fragments of correspondence are displayed to gently question the writer's personal account of events. “Andersen is the narrator, but he's untrustworthy,” notes the expert. The result is a fascinating rapid journey of Andersen’s life and work, thought processes and favorite stories. It’s thought-provoking and fun, for grown-ups and children, with a extra underground make-believe land, Ville Vau, for the children.

Discovering the City

Returning to the physical town, the modest urban center of Odense is delightful, with historic pathways and traditional Danish homes painted in bright colours. The writer's influence is ubiquitous: the road indicators show the writer with his distinctive top hat, brass footprints provide a no-cost guided stroll, and there’s a sculpture trail too. Every August this focus peaks with the annual Andersen celebration, which celebrates the writer's impact through creativity, performance, theatre and music.

During my visit, the week-long event had 500 shows, many were complimentary. While visiting Odense, I meet colorful performers on stilts, spooky creatures and an writer impersonator sharing tales. I listen to empowering poetry and observe an remarkable evening show with acrobatic dancers lowering from the municipal structure and hanging from a mechanical arm. Future activities during the season are talks, hands-on activities and, expanding the oral history past the author, the city’s annual Magic Days festival.

All good fairytale destinations deserve a palace, and Fyn boasts 123 castles and estates throughout the region

Biking Adventures

Like other Danish regions, bikes are the best way to get about in the city and a “bicycle route” meanders through the urban core. From the local hotel, I cycle to the public waterside bathing area, then out of town for a loop around Stige Island, a tiny landmass linked by a road to the primary land. City residents picnic here in the evening, or take pleasure in a tranquil moment fishing, paddleboarding or swimming.

In the city, I visit a local eatery, where the food selection is based on the writer's motifs and stories. The literary work the national ode appears when I visit, and proprietor Nils Palmqvist reads extracts, presented in English, as he introduces the meal. Such encounters commonplace in my days in the city, the island inhabitants enjoy storytelling and it appears sharing tales is continuously on the menu here.

Manor House Visits

All good magical places require a palace, and the island boasts numerous historic homes and manor houses across the island. Going on excursions from Odense, I visit Egeskov Castle, the continent's finely maintained Renaissance water castle. Despite parts are accessible to the public, Egeskov is also the personal dwelling of Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille and his wife, the royal resident. I ponder if she might sense a small legume through a mound of {mattresses